The Infinite Realities of Jaune Arc
by Genital WarThunder
Summary: Based on (Watching Things by Shadow Gumball of Death) and (Endless Possibilities by JC of the Corn) Ozpin decides to reward his students with a day at the movies, only for it turn really weird, REALLY fast. Welcome to The Infinite Realities of Jaune Arc. (Cover by MRK50)
1. Intro

**How do you do? Mr. WarThunder feels it would be a little unkind to present these stories without just a word of friendly warning. We are about to unfold the alternate realities of one Jaune Arc. Some of them will thrill you. Some of them will shock you. Some might even horrify you.**

 **So, if any of you feel that you do not care to subject your nerves to such a strain, now's your chance to leave.**

 **I warned you.**


	2. (I) Swan Song

**So, this has been done before, and I wanted to add mine to the mix.**

 **RWBY, NPR, CEM, OGIQPB**

"A field trip to the movies Oz?" Qrow looked over to the headmaster taking his seat, "It's not like you to act normal."

"After their performance in Vale, I figured they could use a little break," Ozpin retorted, "One day away from the struggles of the world would do all of us some good."

"I couldn't agree more," Ironwood was still giddy after capturing Totchwick, "So what are watching?"

"I have no idea Ozpin smiled, "The gimmick here is that they play a random movie and call it Mystery Monday."

"Shame Jaune couldn't make it," Ruby sat with her team in the row before the teachers and above NPR.

"Even on a day off he still wants to train," Yang smiled, "Can't fault him for tenacity."

"Why am I the one carrying everything?" Mercury sat with the food in his lap between Cinder and Emerald.

"You're the gentleman, aren't you?" Emerald took her share, "A gentleman always carries his lady's belongings."

"So, you admit you ARE my lady?" Mercury saw an opportunity and took it.

Emerald responded by throwing a pinch of popcorn at him.

With that action, the doors slammed almost making everyone jump and the lights dimmed. The screen illuminated black and white with a stage, a man stepped out from the curtain dressed in a conductor's tuxedo.

" **How do you do? Mr. WarThunder feels it would be a little unkind to present these pictures without a word of friendly warning. We are about to unfold the alternate realities of one Jaune Arc. Some of them will thrill you. Some of them will shock you. Some might even horrify you. So, if any of you have any questions to ease your mind ask them now before you subject your mind to such a strain."**

"Alternate realities?" Pyrrha was the first to speak.

" **Yes Ms. Nikos," the man on stage responded shocking everyone, "Each movie you are about to see is an alternate dimension as very real as the one you are in right now."**

"Why Jaune?" Ruby asked.

" **Because he has the more interesting tale throughout the multiverse. Granted you all have exciting tales of your very own. It's just Mr. WarThunder found this particular genre interesting."**

"And who is this WarThunder?" Glynda of all people spoke up.

" **He's the author of these fine tales. Now sit back and relax, and enjoy the show." The man on stage walked behind the curtain and the screen went dark.**

"Well this should be interesting," Cinder popped a kernel between her fingers.

"Agreed," Ozpin sat back with interest.

 _ **Carry on my wayward son**_

 **The screen began singing. While Jaune and Pyrrha looked at a bloody seal on the ground with a beam of light erupting from it.**

 _ **There'll be peace when you are done**_

 **A mini clip show of the duo slaughtering Grimm flashed.**

 _ **Lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more**_

" **You're gonna suck it up," a short man held Jaune by the neck against the wall while staring at Pyrrha, "Accept your responsibilities, and play the roles that destiny has chosen for you!"**

"What a dick!" Yang scoffed.

"Ms. Xio Long!" Glynda reprimanded.

"Sorry, but he is…" Yang grumbled.

Pyrrha was shocked she had always wondered about her destiny, and here one of them is.

" **You're THE vessel," a man in a white suit pointed at Jaune, "You're Michael's vessel."**

" **The answer's NO," Jaune was angry, a side they'd never seen before.**

" **You know who I am," a man sat across from Pyrrha in a different scene.**

" **Lucifer," she gasped.**

" **You're the one Pyrrha, my one true vessel."**

" **That'll never happen!" Pyrrha defied.**

"A battle of angels," Cinder kicked back, "Not a bad way to start."

 _ **Once I rose above the noise and confusion, just to get a glimpse behind this illusion**_

 **Another clip show of the two flashed. This time they were apart on two different adventures. Jaune was outside a house.**

"Hey that's!" Ruby started only to be shushed by Yang.

 **Yang answered the door holding a little baby with red hair and turquoise eyes. Jaune held the baby and kissed her on the cheek.**

" **Hi Yang," Jaune sighed, "Things are about to get really bad."**

" **Whatever you're thinking about doing don't do it." Yang pleaded.**

" **I have to," He gave the baby back to her and walked toward his car.**

"Was that?" Nora pointed at Pyrrha and the baby, "You and Jaune?" she poked a reddening Pyrrha with her elbow.

" **The cage you sprung Lucifer from," the man from the beginning was talking, "You can shove his ass back in there, the key to the cage you ask? Four rings, from the horsemen."**

 **A flash of four men's hands appeared. Before landing on a blonde lying in bed.**

" **Who's that?" Qrow in a wheelchair looked at the blonde.**

" **That's my sister," Jaune stared at her.**

" **What do you mean Joan is gone?" Pyrrha asked Qrow.**

" **The angels must have taken him," Ruby had a more mature voice and she walked as if she were a whole other person, "Maybe they've moved on from you Jaune."**

" **You think Joan's ok?" Pyrrha voiced over a scene where Joan is engulfed in a flash of pure white.**

" **Doubt it," Jaune kept driving.**

 _ **I hear the voices when I'm dreaming, I can hear them say**_

" **What if you guys lead the devil to the edge?" Pyrrha was talking to Qrow on the phone, "And I jump in?"**

" **ARE YOU IDJITS TRYIN TO KILL ME?!" Qrow screamed.**

"Wow Qrow," Ironwood looked over, "I didn't think you cared."

"Clearly I do," Qrow watched as an explosion happened on screen.

 **A sickly-looking man held out his ring to Jaune, "You're going to let your wife jump right into that fiery pit."**

"WIFE?!" Everyone but Pyrrha shouted as she nearly collapsed from embarrassment and a dream come true.

" **What exactly are you afraid of?" Qrow walked over to Jaune, "Losing? Or losing Pyrrha?"**

 _ **Don't you cry no more.**_

 **The screen cut to black.**

"That was a thing," Emerald looked at the shocked faces of everyone in the room.

"I don't think it's over," Ozpin took a drink from his overpriced theater cup, "I think we just saw a quick prologue."

"So," Ruby listed, "Jaune and Pyrrha are married…"

Pyrrha giggled.

"They have a daughter, and they're in the middle of a fight between Heaven and Hell? And she wants to sacrifice herself to lock the devil back up?"

"That would be correct yes," Ozpin nodded at each one.

The theater was silent before the screen came back to life.

 **The screen was grainy as it showed Faunus workers putting together a car.**

" **On April 21, 1967," a voice no one recognized began voicing over, "The One-Hundred Millionth Atliesian vehicle rolled off the line at the plant in the capitol. A blue two-door caprice. There was a big ceremony, speeches, and even Cornel Ironwood showed up."**

 **There was a young man getting into the car giving a thumbs up to the camera as he drove away.**

"I still have that car," James smiled as everyone looked at him, "I guess somethings never change."

" **Three days later another car rolled off that same line," the scene showed a man sitting at his desk typing, pronouncing every word as he typed, "No one gave two craps about her. But they should have. Because this 1967 Atliesian Antelope," the scene shifts to a brand new black car in the middle of the show room.**

Mercury and Yang whistled admiring the classic beauty.

" **Would turn out to be the most important car—no, the most important object in pretty much the known universe. She was first owned by Marcus Black, an alcoholic with two ex-wives and three blocked arteries."**

"Pretty much," Mercury shrugged at his father jumping into the car.

" **On weekends, he'd drive around giving bibles to the poor. "Getting folks right for judgment day," He said with an exaggerated southern accent.**

"Less accurate," Mercury snickered.

" **Jaune and Pyrrha don't know any of this, but if they did. I'm sure they'd smile. After Sal died she ended up at a used car lot in Mistral where it was given as a grand prize to a certain redheaded champion. I guess that's where this story begins, and here's where it ends…"**

"Cryptic much?" Yang sighed.

"Is that true Pyrrha?" Ruby looked at the champion engrossed in the film.

"No," Pyrrha sighed, "That tournament I got the Pumpkin Pete contract, I wish I could've gotten that baby."

"Hey Merc," Emerald whispered, "Did your dad really have that?"

"I wish," He sighed, "I would've loved driving that baby."

 **Pyrrha was sitting on the hood of the car drinking a beer looking at the clouds. Jaune slowly walked up next to her and grabbed one from the cooler by the tire.**

" **Hey you," she smiled and gave him a kiss only his face was still frowning, "Jaune? What's going on?"**

 **Jaune let out a deep sigh, "I'm in."**

" **In with?" Pyrrha watched him throw the cap away.**

" **The whole "Up with Satan" thing," Jane nodded as Pyrrha looked at him, "I'm on board."**

" **You're gonna let me do this?" Pyrrha seemed unconvinced.**

"Yeah!" Nora spoke up.

"Nora," Ren put his hand on her shoulder.

"No why would he let his wife and teammate die?!" Nora continued.

"Because he can't let the devil run free," Qrow spoke up, "The needs of the many."

"But-" Nora finally sat down.

"Maybe more will be revealed," Pyrrha watched herself on screen, still trying to come to grips with this whole scenario they were in.

" **No," he looked back at her, "That's the thing. It's not on me to LET you do anything. You're a grown, overgrown, woman. If this is what you want I'll support you like I always have."**

" **That's the last thing I thought you'd ever say," Pyrrha shook her head not believing what she heard him say.**

" **It every well might be," they both chuckle.**

" **Not gonna lie," Jaune looked back, "This goes against every fiber of my being. The truth is…you've always watched out for me. I thought it was my turn to help you. But I was wrong, and I can't keep treating you like that either. Maybe I gotta grow up a little too. I don't know if we've got a snowball's chance, But I do know that if anyone can do it…it's you."**

" **Thank you," Pyrrha put her hands around his neck.**

" **If this is what you want," he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Is this really what you want?"**

" **I let him out," she inhaled deeply, "I gotta put him back in."**

" **That's it then," Jaune accepted the reality and kissed her.**

Pyrrha was conflicted, she was happy her and Jaune were together. But she was angry that it was her fault the devil got out.

"Damn P-Money," Yang hollered, "Give him a chance to breathe!"

Pyrrha chocked on air.

"Do you think she could do it?" Ironwood looked at his associates, "Could she beat the devil?"

"I believe she could," Ozpin nodded, "I wish she didn't have to sacrifice herself in order to do so, but I believe in Ms. Nikos."

"Don't you mean Mrs.?" Qrow got a kick out of Pyrrha once again chocking on air.

 **The scene changed to two dead bodies suspended on the ceiling by their feet. Their throats slashed and blood collected in a tub under them. Ruby was collecting the blood in jugs as Jaune and Pyrrha cleaned their knives. The three walked outside, Ruby and Pyrrha putting the jug in the trunk while Jaune wiped his face.**

"This took an interesting turn," Cinder was taken back by the sudden change in tone.

"I think I have whiplash from that change," Weiss was disturbed at the imagery on screen.

"What are they gonna do with all that blood?" Ruby shuddered at the thought.

 **Jaune saw Qrow shifting through newspapers in his van.**

" **It is so weird seeing you at eye level again," Jaune patted his back.**

" **Smartass,"** Qrow onscreen and off said simultaneously.

" **Was I right?" the Qrow on screen pointed at the building.**

" **As always Birdboy," Jaune nodded, "Two demons right inside."**

"I get it now," Oobleck broke the silence, "To answer your question Ms. Rose it had been experimented that Grimm blood has the capabilities to boost one's aura and semblance tenfold."

"But," James raised his finger, "Both human and Faunus volunteers both died. They went mad, killed themselves, or their body couldn't handle the power and self-destructed."

"But those were humans," Ruby looked back at them.

"On the surface," Qrow looked at his niece, "We have no idea what's hiding under the skin."

" **Did you get it?" Qrown gave Jaune his flask.**

" **Yeah, all the go juice Pyrrha can drink," Jaune took a deep swig.**

" **You ok?" Qrow took back his nearly empty flask.**

"What kind of question is that?!" Glynda glared at Qrow.

"Sometimes it's nice just to ask," Qrow raised his hands in defense.

" **Not really," Jaune looked in the van, "What do you got?"**

" **Not much," Qrow sighed, "Any of these look like omens to you? Cyclone in Menagerie, temperature drops in Vale, wildfires in Patch."**

" **Wait," Jaune stopped him, "What about Vale?"**

" **Temperatures dropped ten degrees," Qrow shrugged it off, "It's only in a five-block radius of downtown."**

" **That's the one," Jaune threw the newspapers back inside, "Devil's in Vale."**

" **Really?" Qrow chuckled, "As far as foreboding goes, that's a little light in the loafers. You sure?"**

" **Yeah, I'm sure." Jaune looked back at Pyrrha and she looked at them with a fear in her eyes.**

"How does he know?" Blake was the first to speak.

"Gut feeling?" Yang shrugged.

"Someone higher on the food chain must have told him," Mercury surprisingly said.

"What do you mean?" Everyone looked at him.

"He didn't even hesitate," Mercury explained, "As soon as something was said about Vale he went for it, ignoring everything else."

"I guess," Emerald shrugged.

"Well think about it, if Ozpin told you something bad was going to happen in Vale, then something just happens to happen in Vale, you wouldn't go investigating?"

"He does have a point," Qrow shrugged.

"Technically he is correct," Ironwood thought it over.

"See?" Mercury gestured to the professors.

 **Middle of the night as two cars were driving down a road. The lead car had Jaune and Pyrrha in the front seat with Ruby snoring in the back.**

" **Aint she just a little angel?" Jaune looked back then to the road.**

" **Angels don't sleep," Pyrrha was slightly concerned.**

"I'm an angel?" Ruby vibrated in her seat.

"Oh brother," Weiss facepalmed.

"Cool that means I'm one too!" Yang flexed.

Qrow drank from his flask, "Oh boy…"

" **Pyrrha I got a bad feeling about this," Jaune broke the awkward silence they were sitting in.**

" **You'd be nuts to have a GOOD feeling about this," Pyrrha attempted a Joke.**

" **You know what I mean," Jaune shook his head, "Vale. He always said he'd jump your bones in Vale. Here we are."**

"Called it," Mercury raised his hand.

"Shhhh!" was evzone's response.

" **Here we are"**

" **Maybe this is him rolling out the red carpet, maybe he knows something we don't!"**

" **I'm sure he knows a butt-load we don't. We just gotta hope he doesn't know about the rings." Another awkward silence filled the air, "Hey, uh, on the subject there's something I gotta talk to you about."**

" **What?"**

" **This thing goes our way, and I jump into that box, you know I'm not coming back right?"**

"She says that like there's a way to bring back the dead," Emerald scoffed.

"Maybe they do," Cinder leaned forward.

"What?" Emerald looked at her with a face that couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"This is a universe where the Archangel Michael and the Devil are walking around," Cinder 'rationalized' maybe death reversal isn't so far out of the realm of possibilities.

" **I'm aware," Jaune looked at her confused.**

" **You got to promise me something."**

" **Ok. Yeah. Anything." Jaune said with almost no seriousness.**

" **You got to promise not to try and bring me back," Pyrrha reacted with a voice lower than normal.**

"So it is!" Cinder slapped her leg and leaned back.

"Could it really be possible?" Iornwood looked to Ozpin.

"No…" Ozpin hesitated, "There's no way at least not in our universe."

" **What?" Jaune looked at Pyrrha, "No, I didn't sign up for that!"**

" **Jaune-"**

" **You're hell is going to make my hell look like Ruby when she wants something!"**

"Hey!" Ruby yelled, "I can be intimidating…"

"Not really," Weiss, Yang, and Blake smiled.

"Are we ignoring the fact that Jaune was in Hell?" Ren spoke up.

 _Jaune was in hell?_ Pyrrha thought to herself, _But he came back, but what does he remember from his time there?_

"Holy shit," Ozpin let his calm slip.

"I don't believe it," Ironwood held his hand to Qrow.

Qrow handed him his flask without a word.

" **You want me to just sit by and do nothing?"**

" **Once the cage is shut you CAN'T go poking at it Jaune. It's too risky."**

" **No, no, no, no, no. As if I'm just gonna let you rot in there."**

" **Yeah you are you don't have a choice."**

" **You can't ask me to do this."**

" **I'm sorry Jaune, but you HAVE to."**

" **So then what am I supposed to do?" Jaune looked at Pyrrha waiting for her response.**

" **You go find Yang," Pyrrha exhaled.**

 **Jaune just scoffed.**

" **You pray she's dumb enough to take you in, and you raise Spero. Tell her that her mother died a hero." Pyrrha both on screen and off felt their hearts shatter at the last sentence, "You have barbecues, softball games, and family board games. You go live some normal apple-pie life. Promise me!"**

"Don't worry," Yang grabbed Pyrrha's shoulder, "I've never been too smart to begin with."

"Thank you, Yang," Pyrrha was still in tears about leaving both Jaune and Spero behind.

"What kind of name is Spero?" Mercury asked rather rudely.

"It's Latin," Ozpin answered.

"What's it mean?" Everyone looked up at the headmaster.

"Hope," Ozpin sighed.

 **Qrow was looking at a building with a pair of binoculars. He was counting the men in the windows. He walked back to Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ruby.**

" **Demons," he sighed, "Two dozen at least. You were right something's up."**

" **More than something," Jaune looked at the building, "He's here I know it."**

 **As Jaune was opening the trunk, Pyrrha looked to Qrow but he couldn't meet her eyes.**

" **I'll see ya around kid," He finally spoke.**

" **See ya around."**

 **Qrow hugged her? He was on the brink of tears, "He gets in… You fight him tooth and nail you understand? Keep swinging, don't give an inch!"**

" **Yes, sir." Pyrrha watched Qrow turn around away from her.**

"Were those emotions?" Glynda looked at Qrow.

"Hey," he shrugged, "I got feelings too. Apparently Pyrrha means a lot to me in this universe."

 **Pyrrha walked over to Ruby and shook her hand, "Take care of these guys ok?"**

" **That's not possible," Ruby shook her head.**

 **Pyrrha smiled as human customs hadn't sunken their way into Ruby's angelic brain, "Then humor me."**

" **Oh. I was supposed to lie," Ruby then put on an obvious fake smile, "Sure they'll be fine!"**

" **Stop talking," Pyrrha sighed as she walked over to Jaune.**

 **They both had one last kiss before she stared at the jugs of blood, "You mind not watching this?"**

 **With tears in his eyes he walked away from her. After a few minutes she slammed the trunk.**

"Oh god…" Pyrrha covered her mouth in horror.

"So that's what it does," Cinder could feel the power radiating from the screen.

 **Pyrrha's skin had become white, her eyes were red and the veins surrounding them pulsated with her heartbeat, "Let's go." Her voice was distorted and her breath smelled of blood. Jaune, Qrow, and Ruby shed a tear before Jaune left them behind.**

" **Alright!" she screamed and put her arms up, "We're here you sons of bitches! Come and get it!"**

 **Two demons came out of the building and stared them down.**

" **Hey guys," Jaune smiled, "Is daddy home?"**

 **The two forcefully dragged them upstairs and into a room where Cinder was waiting for them. Only this Cinder was falling apart, skin had paled, boils littered her face, there were even areas where flesh had fallen off completely.**

" **Hey guys," she rasped, "So nice of you to drop by."**

"What happened to me?" Cinder gasped.

"Seems you couldn't handle the Devil's power," Ozpin lectured, "Your body is too weak."

Cinder grit her teeth in annoyance. _I must get stronger, I can handle the Devil's power!_

" **The Antelope, of course, has all the things other cars have…" the narrator from the begging was back, this time the screen showed a trunk off of various weapons, "And a few things they don't."**

"Pyrrha," Ruby was drooling at the sight, "I'm stealing your car…"

"Ok," She shrugged, "I'm keeping the trunk."

" **But none of that's important," he smiled, "This is what's important. The turtle on the dash Jaune won for Pyrrha on their first date in a Pizza Hut crane machine."**

"Smooth Lady-Killer," Yang nodded with approval while Pyrrha watched the screen of the two out of armor just enjoying each other's company.

" **Pyrrha's first engagement ring, Jaune was so nervous he accidently threw it in the air vent he was shaking so much. To this day when heat comes on, they can hear it rattle."**

"Not so smooth," Yang pinched the bridge of her nose.

Pyrrha waved her hand at Yang hoping she would stop talking as she watched Jaune sweat bullets. It was rather adorkable watching him while the Pyrrha on screen watched him as she did, with nothing but Love.

" **This is what makes it really theirs," the next scene was them carving theirs and Spero's initials into the panel in the back seat, "Even when Jaune rebuilt her from the ground up."**

Everyone gasped at the sight of a semi hitting the Antelope with them inside.

" **He made sure the little things stayed," the scene changed to Jaune under the half-built Antelope.**

"Give us a heart attack why don't you!" Weiss surprisingly yelled at the screen.

" **It's the blemishes that make her beautiful. The Devil doesn't' know or care about what kind of car the couple drives."**

 **The scene changed to Cinder freezing the window in front of her. She then drew a pitchfork with her finger, "People think I burn hot, when in actuality I'm quite cold."**

" **I'll alert the media," Jaune was trying to keep his composer.**

" **Help me understand something," Cinder clapped her hands as she stood in front of them, "I mean, stomping through my front door seems a tad suicidal, don't you think?"**

" **We're not here to fight you," Pyrrha's demonic voice made Jaune shudder.**

" **No?" Cinder raised an eyebrow, "Then why are you here?"**

" **I wanna say: "Yes."**

" **Excuse me?" Cinder had a hard time believing her.**

 **Pyrrha took a deep breath and she killed the demons surrounding them without lifting a finger.**

" **Chock-full of Ovaltine, are we?" Cinder smirked.**

" **You heard me. Yes."**

" **You're serious," Cinder tilted her head.**

" **Look, judgment day is a runaway train. We get it now, we just want off."**

" **Meaning?"**

" **Deal of the century. I give you a free ride, but when it's all over, I live, he lives, you bring our friends back-"**

" **Ok can we drop the telenovela? I know you have the rings Pyrrha."**

"SHIT!" Was everyone's reaction. Except for Cinder who had her eyes glued to the screen waiting for the two to perish.

 **Pyrrha and Jaune were in silent horror.**

" **I don't know what you're talking about," Pyrrha bluffed.**

" **The horsemen's rings," Cinder rolled her eyes, "The magical keys to my cage. Ring any bells? Come on Pyrrha I've never lied to you, the least you can do is pay me the same respect. A wrestling match inside your noggin…I like the idea. Just you and me, no tricks, one round. You win, you jump in the hole. If I win, well I win. What do you say Pyrrha? A fiddle of gold against your soul says I'm better than you."**

" **So he knows, it doesn't change anything."**

" **Pyrrha," Jaune pleaded.**

" **We don't have any other choice,"**

" **No."**

" **Yes."**

 **A white light engulfed the room. Ruby and Qrow watched from outside concerned. When the light subsided, Jaune looked around. Cinder was gone and Pyrrha was on the floor unconscious.**

 **Jaune quickly threw the rings against the wall which stuck to it, he held out his hand, "Bvtmon, Tabges, Babalon."**

 **The rings began to collapse the wall and a portal was opened sucking everything that came close into it. Pyrrha groaned on the floor, Jaune rushed to her side and helped her up.**

" **Pyrrha!"**

" **Jaune!" she cried, "I can feel him!"**

" **You have to go now!" they hobbled over to the edge, "You have to go now! NOW!"**

 **Pyrrha stared into the void before looking back at Jaune, "I was just messing with you. Pyrrha's long gone." She turned around, "Chdr, Bvtmon, Tabges, Babalon." The portal began to shrink and the wall was restored. She pucked the rings from the wall and looked back at Jaune again. "I told you, this would always happen in Vale." Pyrrha vanished into thin air leaving Jaune to grasp his hair and let out a single cry.**

"The devil won?" Nora asked.

"No," Pyrrha shook her head, "I won't believe that!"

Cinder smiled, she would have preferred if the Devil had killed Jaune but she was happy with the outcome.

"Ozpin?" Qrow offered him his flask.

"No," he shook his head, "Mrs. Nikos is still in there, she wouldn't give up that easily."

 **In an abandoned theater miles away from Jaune, Pyrrha stained to move her arm. The noises it made almost sounded like bones snapping under pressure.**

" **Pyrrha," she whispered, "I know that's you. Scratching away in there." She approached a broken mirror, "Look…I'll take the gag off ok? You got me all wrong kiddo. I'm not the bad guy here."**

 **The reflection looked like regular Pyrrha and she was pissed, "I'm gonna rip you apart from the inside out! Do you understand me?"**

 **Lucifer just siged, "Such anger. Who are you really angry with? Me? Or that face in the mirror?"**

" **I'm sure this is all a big joke to you, isn't it?"**

" **Not at all, I've been waiting for you for a very long time. Come on Pyrrha, you have to admit—you can feel it right?"**

" **What?"**

" **The exhilaration. And you know why that is? Because we're two halves made whole. M.F.E.O."**

"Uh what?" Ruby whispered.

"Made for each other," Blake quickly responded trying to get back to the scene.

" **This feels pretty damn far from good."**

" **I'm inside your egg P-Money," Lucifer tapped the side of her temple, "You can't lie to me. I see it all—How odd you always felt, how…out of place in that…family of yours. And why shouldn't you have? They were foster care at best. I'm your real family."**

" **That's not true."**

" **It is."**

" **And I know you know it. All those times you ran away, you weren't running from them. You were running toward me. This doesn't have to be a bad thing, you know? I let Jaune live didn't I? I WANT him to live. I'll bring Weiss and Blake back too. I want you to be happy Pyrrha."**

" **I don't want ANYTHING from you!"**

" **Really? Not even a little payback?"**

" **What's that supposed to mean?"**

" **Look closely," Lucifer revealed six people standing around, "None of these little devils look familiar to you?"**

" **That's Mr. Bensen, he's my Pumpkin Pete manager. That's Charles the janitor from Beacon. Even Siren?"**

" **Yeppers! I'd like to present Salem. You don't know her but they've all been watching you since you were a baby. Jerking you around like a dog on a leash. I know how you feel about them. Me too, so why don't you and I blow off a little steam?"**

"Who's Salem?' Ruby asked.

"Dead now," Yang shrugged.

Cinder clenched her teeth knowing she couldn't say anything.

"That answers my question," Blake's ears lowered.

"What?" Ruby looked over.

"We've been wondering why we weren't revealed yet," Weiss answered for her, "Looks like we've been dead the whole time."

"Don't worry Weiss," Ruby held her partner, "This isn't real."

"But it is!" Weiss shook, "Remember what the announcer said? These are realities that are just as real as ours. We're dead…"

Cinder wanted to smile, until she thought about it. Lucifer was free but once he was through with her Mistress he cast her aside. She didn't even have a body anymore, Lucifer tore through it until he got the one he wanted. In the end, she was still a pawn.

 **Reports are flooding in," Lisa Lavender reported, "A 7.6 earthquake in Mistral, 8.1 in Vaccuo, more in Atlas, Menagerie, and Patch. The U.G.S. has no explanation for the but they deaths are in the six-figure toll.**

" **It's starting," Ruby looked at the televisions in the window.**

" **Yeah you think genius?" Jaune rolled his eyes.**

" **You don't have to be mean," Ruby pouted.**

" **So, what do we do now?" Jaune asked.**

" **I suggest we imbibe copious quantities of alcohol and just wait for the inevitable blast wave," Ruby shrugged.**

"That sounds like something you'd say," Glynda looked at Qrow.

"Yeah," Qrow shuddered, "It's weird hearing that from Ruby."

" **Yes, well thank you, Bukowski. I mean how do we stop it?"**

 **Ruby looked back at Jaune with an 'are-you-serious?' face, "We don't. Lucifer will meet Michael on the chosen field, and the Battle of Armageddon begins."**

" **Okay!" Jaune snapped his fingers, "So where's this chosen field?"**

" **I don't know," Ruby looked away from him.**

" **Well there's got to be something that we can do!" Jaune pleaded.**

" **I'm sorry Jaune, this is over."**

" **You listen to me you junkless pansy," Jaune snapped.**

"Damn," Yang was taken back by his anger.

"Jaune," Nora mumbled at his anger.

"So, he does have a spine," Mercury was now getting interested.

" **We are NOT giving up! Qrow?" Jaune looked back only to see Qrow looking at the ground, "Qrow?"**

" **There was never much hope to begin with," Qrow admitted, "I Don't know what else to do."**

"Give up so easily Qrow?" Port and the other professors look at him.

"The Devil won," Qrow looked back at them, "What would you do?"

"Find another way," Cinder, wait what, Cinder of all people spoke up, "Keep fighting till you can't lift your arms, then kick till you can't move your legs. Die on your feet not on your knees."

The theater was silent after her little speech.

 **Lucifer was surrounded by mutilated corpses. She looked in the mirror only to see Pyrrha crying.**

" **So…are we having fun yet?"**

"Well she won't be a problem anymore," James whispered to Ozpin.

"As much as I want her gone," Ozpin sighed, "I'd never want to release Lucifer. Killing a mad dog with another mad dog? Now we're back to where we started."

" **In between jobs," the narrator was back, "Jaune and Pyrrha would sometimes get a day, a week if they were real lucky. They'd pass the time lining their pockets. Pyrrha would always insist on honest work, now she hustles pool with Jaune. They could go anywhere and do anything. They drove 1000miles for an Achievemen Concert, two days to see Yang and Spero, and when it was clear they'd park in the middle of nowhere, sit on the hood and watch the stars. Sometimes." While on the hood Jaune rolled over Pyrrha where the kissing got a little…heated.**

"Oh my," Oobleck covered his eyes.

"I'd rather not watch my student's sexual exploits," Glynda covered hers.

"Agreed," the rest of the professors cover theirs as well.

Weiss pulled Ruby's hood over her eyes, and shut hers.

Blake pretended to look away but her eyes were fixated on the screen.

"Damn P-Money," Yang tapped her shoulder.

Pyrrha was at a loss for words as her nose began to bleed.

Nora blushed and pulled Ren's hand over her eyes.

Ren crossed his legs and hoped no one looked in his general direction.

Cinder spat out her drink.

Mercury thankfully still had a tub of popcorn over his lap.

Emerald watched with wide eyes and a slightly bleeding nose.

" **It never occurred to them that they never had a roof and four walls," the scene changes to Pyrrha and Jaune holding each other in the backseat, naked of course, "But they were never, in fact, homeless."**

"I like that," Mercury smiled.

"What?" Emerald looked at him confused.

"Go anywhere, do anything, just going wherever the wind blew," Mercury's face changed to one of longing.

"The hustling part is nice," Emerald agreed.

"Cheap food, bad motels, hunting monsters in between," Cinder thought about it, "It does sound nice."

"You know," Qrow watched the screen, "I never thought about that sure the road is hard, but we're free."

"Why would you hustle people Pyrrha?" Nora asked.

"Well," She blushed, "I may have had this fantasy of being a rebel without a cause, looks like this Pyrrha took the initiative. Traveling the land doing what you love, with the one you love, what could be better?"

The theater was silent as everyone had their own fantasies.

 **The phone began to ring, the narrator picked it up, "Mistress Valkyrie."**

" **Um, no, Ren." Jaune was on the other line.**

The theater roared with laughter. Except for Ren and Nora who looked at each other and blushed.

" **Oh, uh, Jaune," Ren stuttered, "Uh, wow. I, uh, I didn't know that you'd call."**

" **Who's Mistress Valkyrie?"**

" **Nothing! She's a, uh, a—just a, uh…a close friend."**

" **Yeah I'll bet—REAL close. Whatever happened to Becky?"**

" **Didn't work out. I had too much respect for her." Ren cleared his throat.**

" **Boy, you got a whole virgin/hooker thing going on, don't you?"**

" **Okay this can't be why you called."**

" **Pyrrha said yes."**

" **I know, I saw it, I'm working on the pages right now."**

" **Did you see where the title fight goes down?"**

" **The angels are keeping it top secret, very hush-hush."**

" **Son of bitch."**

" **But I saw it anyway, you know perks of being a prophet. Tomorrow, High-Noon, a place called: Dens Cemetery."**

" **Wait I know that, that's an old boneyard outside Beacon. Why Beacon?"**

" **I don't know. You two met at Beacon, it ends where it all began?" Ren was trying to believe what he was saying.**

" **Alright Ren," Jaune's eyes burned with Hope once again, "Do you know of any way to short-circuit this thing?"**

" **Aside from the rings? No."**

" **Well do you have any idea what's gonna happen next?"**

" **I wish that I did. But I honestly don't know yet."**

" **Thanks Ren." Jaune hangs up.**

 **Jaune tried to start the Antelope but the engine never turned over.**

" **You going someplace?" Qrow was leaning on the trunk, "You're going to do something stupid. You got that look."**

" **I'm gonna go talk to Pyrrha," Jaune stepped out of the car.**

" **You just don't give up," Qrow sighed.**

" **IT'S PYRRHA," Jaune snapped.**

" **If you couldn't reach her here, what makes you think you'll reach him on the battlefield?" Ruby asked.**

" **Well if we've already lost, then I guess I've got nothing to lose, right?" Jaune glared.**

" **I just want you to understand," Ruby spoke, "The ONLY thing you're going to see out there is Michael killing your wife."**

" **Then I aint gonna let her die alone," Jaune and the theater chocked on their sobs.**

 **Qrow gave him the sparkplug he took and watched Jaune drive away.**

"That's a one in a million right there," Yang sniffed.

"What?" Pyrrha looked back at her.

"A man who's there to the very end, even possessed by the devil, he refuses to leave your side."

"He's insane on so many levels," Weiss added, "But never giving up on your friends is something I can respect."

"Aye," Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald nodded.

"I feel we're nearing the ending," Ozpin shifted in his seat, "Anyone else see his eyes? He had hope in those eyes."

"Let's see how far that'll get him," Qrow put his flask away, he wanted to remember this.

 **Wind blew and a rusted gate creaked back and forth. A single crow cawed as it left the branch it was on. Lucifer watched it fly as Michael appeared before him. She was in Jaune's sister but the expression on her face was emotionless.**

" **It's good to see you Michael," Lucifer clearly tensed up.**

" **You too," he spoke, "It's been too long."**

" **Can you believe it's finally here?"**

" **No. Not really. Are you ready?"**

" **As I'll ever be. A part of me wishes we didn't have to do this."**

" **Yeah," Michael nodded, whether he believed Lucifer or not was up for debate with his expressionless face, "Me too."**

" **Then, why ARE we?"**

" **Oh, you know why. I have no choice after what you did."**

" **What I did? What if it wasn't my fault?"**

" **What is that supposed to mean?"**

" **Think about it. Dad made everything. Which means he MADE me who I am. God WANTED the devil."**

" **So?"**

" **So why? And Why make us fight? I just can't figure out the point."**

" **What's YOUR point?"**

" **We're going to kill each other? And for what? One of dad's tests? And we don't even know the answer. We're brothers. Let's just walk off the chessboard."**

" **I'm sorry. I can't do that. I'm a good son and I have my orders."**

" **But you don't have to follow them."**

" **What, you think I'm gonna rebel? Now? I'm not like you."**

" **Please Michael-"**

" **You know you haven't changed a bit, little brother. Always blaming everybody but yourself. We were together. We were happy. But you betrayed me, all of us, and you made father leave."**

" **Nobody makes dad do ANYTHING. He is doing this TO us."**

" **You're a monster, Lucifer. And I have to kill you."**

" **If that's the way it's got to be…then I'd like to see you try."**

 **Tensions rose as the two circled each other, until an engine roared across the field. Jaune put a cassette in the player.**

 _ **Gunter, Glieben, Glauchen, Globen**_

 _ **All right**_

 **Jaune began driving toward them**

 _ **I got something to say**_

 _ **Hey, it's better to burn out than fade away.**_

 _ **All right**_

" **Howdy ladies," Jaune stepped out.**

 _ **We're gonna burn this damn place down**_

" **Sorry am I interrupting something?" Jaune looked at both of them.**

"Certainly, knows how to make an entrance," Port stroked his mustache.

"I'll say," Qrow leaned forward, "Now it's time to see what's it's all been building up to."

"I-I don't know if I can watch," Nora took Ren's hand.

"We must," Pyrrha shook her head, "Jaune's gonna win. I know he is."

"Come on Vomit-Boy," Yang cheered, "We're supporting you all the way!"

"Yeah!" Everyone, even Cinder cheered.

 **Jaune closed the door, "Hey, we need to talk."**

" **Jaune," Lucifer smiled, "Even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid."**

" **I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to Pyrrha."**

" **You're no longer the vessel Jaune," Michael spoke up, "You got no right to be here."**

" **Joan if you're in there I'm so sorry."**

" **Joan isn't home right now."**

" **Well then, you're next on my list buttercup, but right now I need five minutes with my wife."**

" **You little maggot, you are no longer apart of this story!"**

" **Hey!" Ruby was holding a Molotov, "ASSBUTT!" Ruby threw the glass and ignited Michael. His screams filled the air before he finally disappeared.**

" **Assbutt?" Jaune looked at Ruby, even as an angel she still couldn't swear right.**

" **He'll be back," Ruby was panting, "And upset. But you got your five minutes."**

" **Ruby Rose," Lucifer glared, "Did you just Molotov my brother with Holy Fire?"**

" **Uh…no…" Ruby was backing away.**

" **Nobody dicks with Michael but ME," Lucifer raise his hand. When he snapped his fingers, Ruby exploded.**

"AHHH!" Ruby screamed as she watched herself turn into a pile of goo.

" **Pyrrha can you hear me?" Jaune looked at his wife.**

" **You know…" Lucifer turned to Jaune, "I tried to be nice…for Pyrrha's sake. But you…are such a pain…in my ass." Lucifer threw Jaune on the car breaking the windshield.**

"JAUNE!" Pyrrha screamed as she watched the horror unfold.

 **A gunshot was heard, Lucifer turned around to see Qrow holding a revolver. He fired again hitting Pyrrha's chest. Lucifer looked down at the bleeding wound, then back to Qrow. He raised his hand and with a twist Qrow's neck was shattered.**

" **NO!" Jaune screamed.**

" **Yes," Lucifer slammed Jaune on the hood before Qrow's body hit the ground. One punch was hard enough to make him spit a mouthful of blood.**

" **Pyrrha, are you in there?"**

" **Oh, he's in here, all right," Lucifer punched him again, "And she's gonna feel the snap of your bones." Another punch. "Every single one. We're gonna take our time." One after another, Lucifer made each strike hurt more than the last. A total of ten punches later, his eye was swollen shut, he grabbed her collar.**

" **Pyrrha," he slurred, "It's ok. It's ok, I'm here. I'm here, I'm not gonna leave you."**

"Jaune," Pyrrha was in tears, "I'm here too."

 **Lucifer raised his fist to his hear, this was going to be it. When he saw a glint from the car. He saw the turtle. His fist lowered.**

"What's going on?" everyone was watching a rapid clip show of Jaune and Pyrrha's past adventures. It ended with a slow motion shot of the two of them holding a redheaded baby between them.

 **Pyrrha dropped Jaune and backed away, her breathing was heavy and labored. Jaune looked at her with his one eye.**

" **It's ok Jaune," that was Pyrrha, "I've got him," she threw the rings on the ground, "Bvtmon, Tabes, Babalon."**

 **The ground broke away as a bottomless pit was formed. Pyrrha quickly ran to Jaune, there was always time for one last kiss. Even if it was a tad bloody, Pyrrha ran to the edge when a voice called out.**

" **Pyrrha!" Michael was back, "It's not gonna end this way! Step back!"**

" **You're gonna have to make me!"**

" **I have to fight my brother Pyrrha! Here and Now! It's my destiny!"**

 **She looked back at Jaune and remembered the question she once asked him, she looked back at Michael, "Fuck Destiny."**

 **She began to jump, but Michael attempted to stop her. So, Pyrrha dragged Michael into the cage with her. There was another explosion of white and the bottomless pit vanished and Jaune finally cried against the car.**

"See?" Cinder pointed at the screen, "There's always another way."

"But was the cost worth it?" Emerald gathered everyone's attention, "A man just lost his wife, a baby just lost her mother, and everyone lost a friend. The world is saved, but some worlds have just been shattered."

"Inside we're torn apart," Ruby spoke, "But time will mend our hearts. Move onward; not there yet, so let's just live."

 **Not even Jaune knew how long he'd been crying over the spot where the pit was. But he looked over his shoulder and saw Ruby standing over him.**

" **Ruby you're alive?" Jaune said in shock.**

" **I'm better than that," she put two fingers against his forehead and healed his wounds.**

" **Ruby," Jaune rose to his feet, "Ruby are you God?"**

 **Ruby smiled, "That's a nice compliment, but no. Although I do believe he brought me back, new and improved." She walked over to Qrow and healed his neck bringing him back to life.**

 **He was also in shock as he looked at Ruby alive again.**

" **Endings are hard," Ren spoke, "Any dust fueled monkey with a keyboard can crap out a beginning, but endings are impossible. You try to tie up every loose end, but you never can. The fans are always gonna bitch. There's always gonna be holes. And since it's the ending it's all supposed to mean something. I'm telling you they're a raging pain in the ass."**

 **Jaune was driving, Ruby in the front seat, Qrow trailing behind him.**

" **What are you gonna do now?" Jaune looked over to Ruby.**

" **Return to Heaven I suppose."**

" **Heaven?"**

" **With Michael in the cage I'm sure it's total anarchy up there."**

" **So what you're the new sheriff in town?"**

" **I like that. Yeah, I suppose I am."**

" **Wow, God gives you a new set of wings and suddenly you're his bitch again."**

" **I don't know WHAT God wants. I don't know if he'll even return. It just…seems like the right thing to do."**

" **Well if you do see him, tell him I'm coming for him next"**

" **You're angry."**

" **That's an understatement."**

" **He helped."**

 **Jaune scoffed.**

" **Maybe even more than we realize."**

" **That's easy for you to say, he brought you back. What about Pyrrha? What about ME? Where's my grand prize? All I got is my wife in a hole!"**

" **You got what you asked for Jaune. No Paradise. No Hell. Just more of the same. I mean it Jaune, what would you rather have? Peace? Or Freedom?"**

 **Before Jaune could answer Ruby had vanished, "Well, you really suck at goodbyes you know that?"**

" **This is the last Qrow and Jaune will see each other for a while," Ren voiced over them having a goodbye hug, "For the record, this time next week Qrow will be hunting an Alpha Beowulf outside the Emerald Forrest. But not Jaune. Jaune didn't want Ruby to save him. Every part of him, every fiber of his being wants to die or find a way to bring Pyrrha back. But he isn't going to do either, because of a promise he made."**

 **He knocked on a door with tears in his eyes, only for a certain Blonde Brawler to open the door.**

" **Hey Yang," his voice was breaking.**

" **Oh, thank God," she sighed, "Are you alright?"**

" **Nope, if it's not too late…I do believe I owe you a drink."**

 **Yang smiled, "Yeah, yeah you do."**

 **Jaune stepped into her arms where the damn broke, and he let everything out. Yang rubbed his back and comforted him.**

" **So, what's all add up to?" Ren asked, "It's hard to say. But me, I'd say this was a test…for Jaune and Pyrrha. And I think they did alright. Up against good, evil, angels, demons, destiny, and even God himself. They made their own choice. They chose family. And, well…isn't that kinda the whole point?"**

 **The End was typed across the screen.**

" **Yeah," Ren smiled, "Endings are hard, but then again…nothing every really ends, does it?" Ren's body disappeared entirely.**

" **You ok?" Yang asked Jaune as he fed Spero.**

 **Jaune cracked a smile, "Yeah, I'm good."**

The theater was in tears.

"I think that was a perfect ending," Nora wiped her cheeks.

"I agree," Pyrrha wiped her tears.

"You're ok with that?" Cinder looked back at Pyrrha.

"My daughter and Husband are alive," Pyrrha nodded, "The Devil is back in Hell and my family can live in peace."

"I told you I wasn't that smart," Yang smiled.

Before anyone else could respond, they heard the doors opening.


	3. (II) Night Arc

"Sup losers…" Sun trailed off when he saw everyone wiping their eyes, "Damn, was it THAT emotional?"

"You have no idea," Pyrrha smiled as she dried her eyes.

"What do you think we'll see next?" Glynda fixed her glasses and resumed her stern demeanor.

"I'm fine with anything that doesn't involve my students dying," Port watched.

"That may or may not be possible."

"ADAM?" Blake nearly jumped out of her skin.

" **Have no fear Ms. Belladonna," the voice from earlier spoke, "He cannot harm you here. It had occurred to me that I'd left some people out, and here are more, until I remember more I forgot…"**

"Hey guys," Velvet waved, "What are we watching that's so emotional?"

"That's a mystery," Coco answered, "We'll have to find out when the movie starts again."

 **The screen turned into Beacon Academy only parts of the grounds were on fire, the top of Beacon Tower was gone, and a dragon Grimm circled the school spawning creepers as he flew. Salem stood in the courtyard, there was a dust cloud a few feet away. When it cleared it was revealed Ozpin and Jaune where standing in it.**

"Well then," Ozpin wasn't one to let his emotions get the better of him, but the grip on his cane tightened when he saw his school in ruins and Salem being the one responsible.

"So, she, finally did it?" Qrow began to drink again.

"Well if this is anything like the last one," James was trying to be optimistic, "She's going to die real soon."

" **You maybe reinforcements," Salem taunted, "But you're nothing more than amoebas compared to me."**

" **So that's Salem?" Jaune stood with his shield extended and sword in hand.**

"What's he planning to do?" Cinder smirked, "He's got nothing on her, the school has fallen, and an ancient evil has been unleashed. This'll be an entertaining way for him to end."

" **Are you alright Professor?" Jaune asked not taking his eyes off Salem.**

" **Your landing strategy has improved considerably," Ozpin smiled as he rose to his feet.**

" **OZ!" Qrow and James landed next to them, "You alright?"**

" **I am," He nodded, "Thanks to Mr. Arc."**

 **James' robotic arm was ripped out at the shoulder, and his human arm was cut off at the elbow.**

" **Alright General," Jaune spoke up with confidence not seen before, "What's the situation?"**

"A bit cocky in this world, isn't he?" Qrow smiled.

"As long as he doesn't cross into arrogance…" Glynda mumbled as he watched Jaune stare down what she felt was evil incarnate.

" **So far all she's done is toy with us," James answered, "Now that she has the relic her power has increased significantly. Our semblances bounce right off of her, and dust attacks seem to have no effect. The only things that can hurt her are: aura based attacks and straight up hand-to-hand attacks."**

" **Unfortunately," Qrow added, "Both of those require us to get up close and personal with her."**

 **Jaune sheathed his sword and dropped it at Ozpin's feet. He jumped away from them and crossed his arms in front of his face. His smiling never fading.**

"Does he have a plan?" Ruby questioned, "This sounds like a job for you Yang."

"I don't know," Yang shook her head, "She seems way too powerful, FOR ME what does Vomit Boy think he can do?"

"HEY," Nora shot back, "Don't count our leader out yet! He beat the devil, he can beat this witch!"

"Wait wha?" Sun asked on the last part of her sentence.

"I'll tell you later." Blake whispered.

 _HA!_ Cinder laughed, _Oh, poor Jaune you have no idea what you're doing! Your death will probably the most entertaining thing yet!_

" **So, it's show-time!" Jaune yelled, "For the Wild Blue Beast, eh? Eight Inner Gates! Seventh Gate of Shock! OPEN!"**

 **Jaune's skin turned red as a blue mist surrounded him. The shockwave itself shook the very grounds.**

" **Mr. Arc!" Ozpin used his cane and Croeca Mors to keep himself from flying back.**

 _ **Blue?**_ **Salem asked herself** _ **, He insults me by not bringing out the Red!**_

 **Jaune charged forward swinging at Salem. She dodged every attack he threw at her. He would punch high, kick low, but every attack Salem just doged.**

" **Fine!" Jaune put his fists together, "Than take this! HIRUDORA! AFTERNOON TIGER!"**

"Whoa!" Yang watched a white tiger explode on screen.

 _What was that?!_ Cinder was angry that this weakling struck her master.

"Hirudora is one of three great martial art attacks," Ren explained, "I've only seen it done by one person. It's just an ordinary punch, but a superfast punch. A focused blast of pressurized air aimed right at your opponent. After initial compression, it spreads quickly outward. I am amazed Jaune could do such a thing."

"You said three," Weiss contemplated what she was just told, "What are the other two?"

"The first: Asakujaku, the Morning Peacock is a series of punches dealt out with incredible speeds that the friction causes the air to ignite and set fire to his fists."

"I wanna learn that one," Yang punched her fists together.

"The third…"

 **An explosion was seen barely bigger than the base of Beacon tower was seen on screen. Jaune was lying in the ground while Salem was actually pushed back! She ordered a creeper to attack Jaune while he was down.**

" **Shit," James began to run, "Qrow get Jaune!"**

" **Right!" Qrow started.**

 **Only for a familiar red blur to grab Jaune and bring him to them. Leaving a trail of red rose peddles in her wake.**

" **Ruby!" Qrow yelled, "What are you doing here?!"**

" **Weiss and Yang sent me ahead," She explained, "When I saw Hirudora I had to investigate. Jaune, are you ok?"**

" **Yeah," Jaune's skin was back to normal, "Thank you Ruby."**

" **Are you alright Mr. Arc?" Ozpin waved.**

" **Just my arm and a few ribs," Jaune said nonchalantly.**

"Oh yeah because those aren't major issues," Weiss rolled her eyes.

"I agree with Ms. Schnee," Glynda nodded with approval, "He needs medical attention immediately."

"Jimmy's missing both his arms," Qrow objected, "I don't think Jaune has the right to complain about a boo-boo. It's time to play through the pain."

"That's a little harsh," Ruby looked back at him.

"The truth hurts kiddo," Qrow pointed at the screen.

" **She's too stong," Ozpin watched as Salem began to levitate.**

" **Wait Professor!" Jaune objected, "I still have one more trick up my sleeve. Our youth hasn't faded yet! Don't give up hope now!"**

" **Jaune," Ruby hesitated, "What are you planning?"**

" **While it's true that everything we wish for may not come to be," Jaune smiled, "But things we must do must always begin with a wish. Just like the times I challenged Pyrrha. This is no bluff."**

 **Everyone was shocked.**

" **Jaune," Ozpin was trembling, "Don't tell me…"**

" **The End has come for The Blue Beast Jaune Arc," Jaune sighed, "It's time for the Red Beast to emerge!"**

"What's going on?" Ruby frantically shook in her seat, "What's Jaune about to do?!"

"Why would he challenge me?" Pyrrha questioned.

"You're the best in the school P-Money," Yang nodded, "He figured you'd make a great rival and someone to measure up to."

"I would've trained him!" Pyrrha declared.

"But you would've held back," Adam announced, "If you're holding back how would he have gotten better? If he failed he would push himself to become stronger and stronger until he finally won."

"But what's about to happen to Jaune?!" Ruby was getting tired of being ignored.

"I think he's about to do what Pyrrha did in the last one," Weiss analyzed the speech he gave.

" **No," Ozpin shook his head, "I forbid it, not the Gate of Death!"**

 **Ruby gasped.**

" **Mr. Arc don't do that!" James protested, "Think about what you're doing! No one here wishes for you to do that!"**

" **NO," Jaune declared, "But I wish it."**

" **Jaune," Ruby cried, "D-Do you really think it's time?"**

" **Ruby," Jaune smiled as he took off his armor, "Don't look at me like that. This time, you sit back and enjoy the show! I'm sorry we won't become the bestest leaders ever," Jaune put his forehead to hers, "But I am not sorry that with this action, you'll be the greatest huntress ever."**

 **Ruby gave him a kiss before the last of his armor dropped.**

"Wait Ruby is dating Jaune in this one?" Blake watched them lip locked.

Pyrrha was red as steam came out of her ears, _Ruby?! How could you!_

"What no!" Ruby protested flushed with embarrassment, "Jaune and I are besties!"

"So, each universe has a different partner for Mr. Arc," Ozpin sipped his drink, "Interesting."

"Imma kill him if he lays a hand on Ruby," Qrow nearly crushed his flask in his hand.

"Ditto," Yang once again punched her fists together.

 **Jaune ran forward and jabbed his chest with his thumb. An x-ray of Jaunes chest revealed his aura gathering around his heart filling it up. When the screen returned to normal a red mist was forming around Jaune.**

 _ **So, you opened the Gate of Death, have you?**_ **Salem watch Jaune.**

" **OPEN! EIGHT INNER GATES FORMATION!" The red mist had completely enveloped Jaune, his skin and hair turned red as well,** _ **To protect something so precious you give your life for!**_

" **Red Mist?" Salem looked down at Jaune, "The unique red mist of blood from opening all eight gates. To actually see it for myself is something I'd never thought I'd see. But now seeing it, it looks like dead autumn leaves."**

" **You're right," Jaune answered, "But their deaths weren't without purpose, they've become nutrients for fresh green leaves! And the period they bridge until new spring when fresh leaves bud is the climax of youth! When it burns most crimson!"**

"I never knew Jaune could be poetic on the spot like that," Weiss wrote down what he wrote.

"I didn't think he was poetic to begin with," Yang shrugged.

"Oh yeah," Nora smiled, "He has a whole book of hand written poems back at the dorm."

"Really?" Pyrrha said, but was thinking: _I must find this book and tear into its contents!_

Blake was having the same thought as Pyrrha, albeit for more curious reans than romantic ones.

 **Jaune did a single leap and was eye level with Salem.**

"Whoa!" Sun pointed at him, "Dude one leap and he's fifty feet in the air!"

" **SEKIZO!" Jaune screamed, "EVENING ELEPHANT! FIRST STEP!" Jaune struck nothing but a torrent of pressurized air hit Salem. It had enough force she had to block it!**

"What is that power?" Cinder couldn't believe Salem was on the defensive.

"Damn Vomit Boy!" Yang cheered, "Who knew he had it in him?"

Pyrrha was speechless. Was that power really lying dormant inside their leader all along?

"She's on the defensive!" James couldn't believe his eyes.

Qrow once again stopped drinking, he wanted to see this to the end.

 **Jaune let out a yell as Salem was knocked out of the air and to the ground.**

" **I can't," Ruby wiped her eyes, "I can't cry at time like this!"**

" **What was that?" Qrow held Ruby in place as the impact nearly sent them flying, but when the dust settled there was a pit in the middle of the courtyard. Salem had been pushed into the earth from that attack.**

" **Jaune's final move," Ruby explained, "The Evening Elephant."**

" **Second step!" Jaune raised his arm. The x-ray vision was back and it showed his humerus cracking. He stopped his attack to hold his arm.**

 _ **I see,**_ **Jaune's shoulder was shaking,** _ **What unbelievable pain! But I must acclimate! Next time I WILL keep it going without giving her any openings!**_

"Guess play through the pain doesn't work, here does it?" Glynda looked at Qrow.

"You heard him," Qrow smirked, "He WILL, not "I'll try," or "I'll do my best," He said "I WILL."

" **Great stress is place on the body from just opening the Fifth Gate of Closing!" Ruby watched Jaune hover in midair, "The Gate of Death's level of pain must be something that exceeds my imagination!"**

" **A move that bombards with blows of punched air," Salem lay on the ground grunting with every word, "An air cannon so to speak. Taking four or five of those would be bad…I should definitely avoid being his by the fists that create them as well."**

"Was that fear?" James was hopeful.

"No," Ozpin shook his head even though he was hopeful, "That was tactical."

 **Salem flew out of the hole she was in, "One rarely gets to fight the Eight Inner Gates Formation," she said with a smile, "I'm game! I'll play with you for a bit!"**

"I figured as much," Ozpin grit his teeth, this is still just a game to her."

 _I knew my mistress couldn't be harmed by that weakling,_ Cinder smirked looking at Mercury's magically refilled popcorn bucket. _It'll be all the sweeter when she deals the finishing blow._ Cinder ate a handful.

 **Jaune was climbing toward her? Everyone was shocked watching him ascend.**

" **He's comingat me by kicking compressed air?" Salem watched Jaune come closer.**

" **Ruby, are you?" Qrow began but was suddenly cut off.**

" **I am not sad!" Ruby yelled, "Showing pity or sorrow to one who has resolved themselves would be an insult!"**

 **Jaune was running in a circle around Salem. She watched as his speed grew faster and faster. Everyone watched with anticipation as nothing happened just yet.**

" **FIRST STEP!" Jaune shot an air cannon at Salem.**

" **He's fast!" She blocked his first strike. When the air died down, she noticed he wasn't in front of her anymore!**

" **SECOND STEP!" He yelled as another air cannon his her from behind and below. She couldn't guard this one and took the full brunt of the attack.**

" **THIRD STEP!" This one came from above and to the right. Salem still recovering from the last one couldn't defend.**

" **FOURTH STEP!" He was in front of her again.**

" **I-I can't move!" Salem was being bombarded in all directions.**

" **FIFTH STEP!" Jaune cried as he struck her from behind.**

 **Salem spat out a mouthful of blood as they two came crashing into the ground.**

"What?!" Cinder kept her voice low, but the anger wasn't missed on her face.

"No way," Mercury dropped his soda.

"Impossible!" Emerald watched.

 **Jaune was standing, his breathing was labored as he watched Salem lay in the dirt. He didn't drop his guard, he knew something wasn't right. His suspicions were correct when Salem stood up.**

" **You're the first since Ozpin to make me feel this excited!" Salem wiped the blood from her mouth with a smile, "Can you still dance? Do you have anything else hidden in there? Give me more fun!"**

"That's a little creepy," Ruby shrunk into her seat.

"Someone finally giving her a challenge," Yang could almost agree with her.

"Kid's got some spunk if he's dragged out this part of her," Qrow nodded.

"Will it be enough?" James wondered.

"He's gotten this far," Ozpin watched, "He's not dead yet."

 _I've never seen this side of her!_ Cinder was baffled, the calm and elegance was cast aside for what almost sounded like Yang. The adrenaline seeking barbarian.

 _ **She got up from a barrage of Sekizo?**_ **Jaune thought to himself,** _ **Sekizo isn't enough!**_

" **This is amazing!" Salem laughed, "Keep dancing!"**

 _ **All that's left is…Night Arc!**_

 _What's that?_ Cinder thought, _there wasn't a fourth mentioned._

"Ren?" Ruby looked at the martial artist.

"I don't know," He shook his head, "I've only heard of the three."

"A hidden talent?" James looked at Ozpin.

"Told you," Ozpin smiled.

"What is Mr. Arc planning?" Glynda looked at the others.

"Something manly!" Port spoke up, "You heard him, he's at the climax of youth! He's going to unleash an attack to end all attacks!"

Everyone looked at Port with blank faces.

 **Jaune put both hands on the ground and crouched down. The x-ray returned and saw the aura in his heart slowly shrink. With that, Jaune's heart was starting to slowdown.**

" **Given the state his heart's in," Salem whispered, "This'll be his last attack."**

" **CHARGE!" The red mist exploded around them as it slowly began to take form.**

"Ha-Ha!" Port cheered, "See?!"

 **The scene quickly changed to Sanctum Academy?**

" **Come on, Dad, hurry!" A younger Pyrrha dragged an older man along.**

"Um what?" Pyrrha, and everyone else, were slightly confused.

"Aww!" Nora cooed, "Look at baby Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha blushed with embarrassment.

" **There's no need to rush," her father smiled, "The academy isn't going anywhere."**

" **There's a set time for entrance applications," Pyrrha informed him.**

 **Pyrrha's father waved at two men staring at the academy, "Hello, nice to meet you! My daughter will soon be attending Sanctum."**

" **Dad," Pyrrha groaned in embarrassment.**

" **I hope they will get along," he continued smiling.**

" **I'm afraid that isn't possible!" the older blonde man wearing tatter clothing announced.**

" **Huh?" Pyrrha's father was shocked, "What a thing to say! Are you one of those monster parents?!"**

" **No, Dad," Pyrrha facepalmed, "You're wrong. He failed the entrance exam."**

" **Oh," he rubbed the back of his head, "Pardon me! I just assumed since you were standing in front…"**

 **The older blonde laughed, "Don't worry about it."**

" **Is that really something to be laughing about?" Pyrrha asked.**

" **Pyrrha don't be rude," her father poked.**

" **But you were a lot ruder a minute ago. I mean, he's trying to get into the academy with no skills and barely below average academic skills. We should be going before it gets late."**

"Damn P-Money," Yang punched her shoulder, "I'd expect that from Weiss let alone you!"

"I'd never talk like that to anyone!" Pyrrha defended.

"She's just telling the truth," Weiss shrugged.

"Weiss you're not helping!" Ruby scolded.

 **The younger one smiled, and turned to face Pyrrha.**

" **Your name's Pyrrha Nikos, right?" he asked, "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!"**

 **The older blonde grinned at his son. Pyrrha was confused, while her father looked at the boy.**

" **Pyrrha," her father had a tone she didn't recognize, "Don't slack off because you got into the academy. At the rate he's training," the screen showed cuts, bruises, and calluses on his hands and feet, "that boy will become stronger than you."**

" **He will?" Pyrrha asked, "They haven't announced the alternatives yet have they? The academy isn't stupid. Ask him what his name is and remember it."**

" **What?" Pyrrha groaned.**

" **He'll make a good rival for you," her father patted her head.**

" **Hey!" Pyrrha called out, "What's your name?"**

" **JAUNE ARC!" he flexed his tiny muscles, "AND I'M GONNA BE STRONGER THAN ANYONESLE AROUND!"**

"Well," Pyrrha smiled, "It turns out being rivals has its advantages."

"See?" Adam nodded, "He became the strongest one around didn't he?"

 **Enough aura had built up and it began to take the form of a dragon. The aura had a monstrous roar that dwarfed the dragon currently on Beacon Tower.**

" **I acknowledge this power of yours!" Salem decreed. "Over all of the those who have fought me over the years, your aura has no rival! I. Salem, declare you the strongest!"**

 **Jaune's body had golden lines tattooing his body, "FLOW!"**

 **The impact Jaune left as he ran shook the grounds. His aura dragon roared as it obliterated everything in its path. Salem raised her arms to block only for them to warp?**

" **What?" Salem watched, "He's bending time and space?!"**

 **Salem looked at Jaune coming at her with fear in her eyes.**

" **NIGHT ARC!" He screamed as his foot connected with her chest. Salem threw up a decent amount of blood as they began flying.**

 **The x-ray screen showed Salem's ribcage being shattered along with Jaune's leg. The shockwave knocked everyone back as they collided with Beacon Tower, but Jaune wasn't done yet. The dragon ascended Beacon Tower effectively ripping the Grimm one in half, as the Grimm dragon's body disintegrated the red one vanished.**

 **Jaune's body returned to normal, mostly, his right leg was on fire and burned marks covered his body. There was a single star that shined brighter in the sky. He strained as he stretched his arm out and gave it thumbs up.**

" **J-Jaune?" Ruby stood up dusting herself off.**

" **That was Mr. Arc's last move," James, Ozpin, and Qrow regrouped.**

 **In the distance two figures fell to earth. The fist was Jaune as he lay in his crater not moving the fire on his leg stopped once his leg was turned to ash. The second was Salem struggling to breath as half her body was now missing.**

" **Y-You," she struggled, "YOU BASTARD!" Salem fell forward into the dirt trying to get up. "D-Don't think this is over!" blood began to pool around her as her body began to evaporate.**

"Not every classy for someone's dying words," Yang shook her head.

 _Again?!_ Cinder was grinding her teeth, _First, was Satan, so that's understandable, but this?! Defeated by the weakest one here?!_

 **Time Skip, One Year Later.**

 **Beacon Academy now reopening its doors.**

" **Well I gotta hand it to you Oz," Qrow watched from the newly rebuilt office as students came in, "When everyone found out where Jaune went to school recruitment's been higher than it's ever been!"**

" **Well when a legend is trained here, others want to follow in his footsteps."**

 **The scene changed two seven people standing in front of a statue in the middle of the courtyard.**

" **Guess who's back?!" Yang cheered as she took off her sunglasses.**

" **Yang," Blake came up beside her without her bow, "Do you have to be so loud?"**

" **It's Yang," Weiss smiled, "It wouldn't be her if she wasn't."**

" **Team RWBY is back together!" Ruby cheered.**

" **Don't forget us!" Nora landed.**

" **Today feels like a brand-new day," Pyrrha smiled at the statue while Ren just nodded.**

" **Salem's dead," Ruby placed a hand on Jaune's cheek as if it where the real thing, "Grimm attacks are down, but not gone. So, it's time to get back in gear and fight the monsters! BANZAI!"**

" **BANZAI!" they cheered.**

" **In places where the leaf dances," Jaune's voice was heard as a golden leaf flew across the screen, "A fire burns…the shadow of the fire will illuminate the world…and once more the leaf will sprout…"**

 **The final shot was of the same leaf landing on a baby sprout.**


	4. (III) At World's End

"Well that was a thing," Coco watched the screen go dark and the theater light up.

"So," Velvet digested everything Ruby told her, "We're watching alternate universes where Jaune goes through radically different scenarios each one more ridiculous or darker than the last?"

"And he's got a different girlfriend in each one!" Yang announced much to Pyrrha's dismay.

 **"That is correct Ms. Scarlatina," the man on stage was back, "Each universe is as real as the one you're in right now. As I said in the beginning now that everyone is here I will repeat myself. Some of these universes will shock you, some will thrill you, some might even horrify you."**

"That wasn't creepy at all," Velvet watched the lights dim.

"So what have you guys seen so far?" Coco asked.

"Just Jaune and Pyrrha fight the devil," Ruby shrugged, "And won!"

"You say that so nonchalantly it's terrifying," Coco looked at her.

 **The screen showed a noose, then the Schnee logo on a flag, and finally humans and Faunus in shackles. Soldiers were standing by keeping the prisoners in line.**

 **'In order to affect a timely halt to deteriorating conditions and to ensure the common good," a man was reading a scroll, "A state of emergency is declared for the kingdoms. By decree of Lord Whitley Schnee, duly appointed representative of the council's demands."**

 **Ten people were lined up, human and Faunus, of both men and women.**

 **"By decree, according to martial law, the following statutes are temporarily amended: Right to Assembly, suspended."**

 **All ten people were hung simultaneously.**

 **"Right to habeas corpus, suspended."**

 **Another ten.**

 **"Right to legal counsel, suspended."**

 **Another ten.**

 **"Right to verdict by a jury of peers, suspended."**

 **Another ten.**

 **"All persons convicted of piracy, or aiding a person convicted of piracy, or associating with a person convicted of piracy...shall be sentenced to hang by the neck until dead."**

"Starting off strong aren't we?!" Yang gasped at the dead bodies.

"Who's Whitley?" Ruby turned to Weiss.

"My idiot brother," Weiss shrugged, "He's always been a brat, but I never thought he'd be sadistic."

"Just like a Schnee to execute Faunus," Adam snarled, "And another to cover it up."

"There are humans being executed too Adam," Blake defended her friend.

The theater went silent when a child was brought to the gallows.

 **The child was too short, so the executioner put him on a barrel, and tied the nose around his neck.**

 **"The king and his men stole the queen from her bed," he began singing, "And bound her in her bones. The seas be ours, and by the powers. Where we will, we'll roam."**

 **"Yo ho," a Faunus next to him mumbled, "All hands, hoist the colors high."**

 **"Heave-Ho," the whole gallows sang.**

 **"Thieves and beggars," EVERY prisoner was singing, "Never shall we die. YO HO, HAUL TOGETHER. HOIST THE COLORS HIGH."**

 **"Lord Schnee!" A solider found Whitley sitting at a desk, "They've started to sing sir."**

 **Whitley smiled, "Finally."**

 **"NEVER SHALL WE DIE!"**

 **The executioner pulled the lever hanging the ten people.**

"Is it just like a Schnee to kill children Taurus?" Weiss demanded.

Adam remained silent, genocidal as he was, killing children was crossing the line. Weiss leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. Even Cinder was uncomfortable, annihilating those who stood in her way was second nature to her, but children?

"What madness is this where executing children is acceptable?" Glynda asked.

"A madness I hope we never see," Ozpin watched James drink.

"I've seen some desperate times, but I've NEVER and I hope to never be that desperate." James continued to drink.

 **The scene changed to a ship dragging along another ship. Where in the brig a familiar blonde was in shackles with her crew. She ran up to the bars and asked the Grimm crew members?!**

 **"Arc?" She asked a Beowulf.**

 **The Beowulf with a human like voice laughed at her.**

 **"Arc?" She asked a different one, "William Arc?"**

 **This one grunted and ignored her.**

 **"Arc?" A voice called out from the shadows, "You know my name?" A Beowulf stepped into the light.**

"Grimm can talk?!" Everyone shouted.

Qrow looked at his flask and put it down, "I think I've had one too many."

"I don't think I've had enough," Glynda grabbed it.

"You weren't kidding when you said it got more ridiculous," Velvet cleaned both of her ears to make sure she wasn't insane.

 _Guess it's Yang's turn,_ Pyrrha moped in her seat.

 **"I know your son," Yang cautiously approached the talking Grimm.**

 **The Beowulf seemed confused, he looked away as if trying to remember.**

 **"Jaune Arc," Yang clarified.**

 **"Jauney Boy!" The Beowulf leapt up in joy, "He made it! He's alive! And now he sends you to tell me that he's coming to get me. God's wounds, he's on his way."**

 **"Yes Jaune is alive," Yang nodded, "And he wants to help you."**

 **William suddenly turned sad, "He can't help me, he won't come."**

 **"But you're his father," It was Yang's turn to be confused.**

 **He pointed his claw at her, "I know you. He spoke of you. He can't save me. He won't come because of you."**

 **"Me?" Yang was curious and a little offended.**

 **"You're Yang Xio Long," he whispered.**

 **"Yes I'm Yang," she nodded.**

 **"If Salem be slain," he explained, "He who slays her must take her place. Captain...forever..."**

 **Yang's face shifted to horror.**

 **"The Flying Dutchman must always have a captain," he whispered to Yang, "And if he saves me...he loses you."**

 **"I see..." Yang chocked back her sobs.**

 **"He won't pick me," William smiled? "I wouldn't pick me. Tell him not to come, tell him to stay away..."**

 **Yang watched him slowly retreat into the darkness, "William?"**

 **"You know my name," the darkness spoke.**

 **"Yes I know your son," Yang was having deja vu.**

 **"Jauney Boy! He's coming back for me, wait and see. You'll see. He promised."**

"I," Nora began only to pause, "I don't know..."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Ren?" She turned to the silent one, "You and Jaune never break your word, but what would YOU do if keeping your word meant losing me?"

Everyone thought about that one. Coco grabbed Velvet's hand, Ruby looked at Yang, and Ozpin looked at all of his students.

"The needs of the many," Qrow whispered.

"Would you still say that if Summer was on the line?" Ozpin asked.

Qrow was silent for the first time.

 **Slam. An iron ball struck a table. The one holding it was Ozpin? If that weren't confusing enough, he was dressed like a pirate!**

Qrow burst into laughter, "That's a good look for you Oz!"

"A pirate?" Ozpin watched the screen, "Well lets hope I do more here than the last one..."

Glynda fixed her glasses while James was turning red trying to suppress his laughter.

 **"As he who issued summons," he began, "I convene this, the Fourth Brethren Court. To confirm your lordship and right to be heard, present now your pieces of eight, my fellow cap'ns."**

James couldn't hold it in any longer and he burst out laughing too.

"Really James?" Glynda frowned.

"I'm," James kept laughing, "I'm sorry. But seeing Pirate Ozpin was too much, but hearing him talk like one is worse."

"I agree with Jimmy," Qrow was still laughing.

 **Each captain threw a trinket in a bowl that was passed around.**

 **"Those aren't Pieces of Eight," Nora watched, "Those are pieces of Junk."**

 **"Aye," Ren nodded, "The first brethren court was planning on using nine pieces of eight for their status, but when the first court met they were all skint broke."**

 **"So change the name..."**

 **"To what? 'To nine pieces of whatever we happen to have in our pockets at the time'? Oh yes that sounds very piratey."**

 **Ozpin unscrewed the tip of his cane and dropped it in the bowl.**

 **"Belladonna!" A captain yelled.**

 **Blake approached the table and took a piercing from one of her cat ears and dropped it in.**

"Ow..." Blake rubbed her bow.

"Would it be any different from getting your human ears pierced?" Weiss asked.

"Maybe," Blake shrugged, "But I'd rather not have metal in either set..."

"Those captains look familiar," Glynda squinted er **"For the record we are still one pirate lord short," Blake came up to the table, "I'm content as a cucumber to wait till Roman joins us."**

 **"Roman Torchwick is dead," Yang announced as she stabbed the globe, "He fell to the Flying Dutchman."**

 **As the other lords began yelling over one another Blake spoke, "He made you captain? They're just giving the bloody title away aren't they?"**

 **"¡Que lo manden el diablo!" A familiar orange eyed, red dressed woman stood up.**

 **"Listen," Yang stood next to Ozpin, "Listen to me. Our location has been betrayed, Salem is under the command of Whitley Schnee, they are on their way here."**

 **"Who is this betrayer?" A large man with a thick white mustache stood up.**

"Ho-ho!" Port laughed at himself.

 **"Not likely anyone among us," Ozpin tried to settle everyone.**

 **"Where's Jaune?" Yang looked around.**

 **"Not among us," Blake quickly dismissed.**

 **"It matters not how they found us," Ozpin resumed, "The question is: What do we do now that they have."**

 **"We fight," Yang proposed.**

 **The other lords laughed at her.**

"Well something's never change," Weiss looked at the blonde brawler agreeing with herself on screen.

 **"Shipwreck Cove is a fortress," the only other female captain stood up. A buxom blonde wearing glasses a riding crop on her hip.**

"Not one word," Glynda declared before anyone spoke up, "Not a single word."

 **"A well supplied fortress," she continued, "There is no need to fight when they cannot get to us."**

 **"There be a third course," Ozpin suggested, "In another age at this very spot, the first court made a pact with the maidens to steer clear of the seas. That was a mistake. We tamed the seas for ourselves, but left the door open for Schnee and his ilk! Better were the days where mastery of the seas came not from bargains struck with mythical creatures, but from the sweat of a man's brow and strength of his back alone. You all know this to be true! Gentleman, Ladies, we must use the maidens."**

 **Everyone was silent.**

"Not the reaction I was expecting," James watched the screen.

 **Clamoring ensued.**

 **"Shoot him!" An ill dressed messy green haired man stood and pointed at Ozpin.**

 **"Cut out his tongue!" Captain Port suggested.**

 **"Shoot him, then cut out his tongue, then shoot his tongue!" Blake was a little too happy suggesting that, "Then trim that scraggly hair."**

"A little enthusiastic aren't we Ms. Belladonna?" Ozpin watched her bow flatten.

"Well, your hair could use a trim..." Glynda snickered while Qrow and James were still laughing.

 **"Roman would've agreed with Ozpin," a crewman of Yang spoke up.**

 **"The maidens were our enemies then," Port stood up, "She will be our enemy now."**

 **"And it's unlikely," a drunken man struggled to his feet, "Their moods have improved."**

 **"I will agree with Roman," Cinder drew a gun, "We use the maidens!"**

 **"You threaten me?" Qrow stumbled to Cinder.**

 **"I silence you!" She pulled her gun up only for Qrow to jab her.**

 **The resulting gunshot lead to everyone attacking each other. Yang, Ozpin, and Blake all watched while people were thrown across tables, had bottles smashed on their heads, all while cursing obscenity after obscenity.**

 **"This is madness," Yang watched.**

 **"This is politics," Blake added.**

 **"Meanwhile our enemies are bearing down on us," Yang shook her head.**

 **"If they not be here already," Ozpin added.**

"I gotta say," Mercury leaned toward Cinder, "Pirate you is a lot more forward than regular you."

"Why am I a Spaniard?" Cinder watched the fight.

"THAT'S your first question?" Emerald looked at their leader.

"Is now the best time to be fighting?" Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose, "And not surprising at all, YOU had to start the fight."

"I regret nothing," Qrow smirked.

 **Ozpin jumped on the table and fired his gun gaining everyone's attention, "It was the first court that banished them from the seas. We should be the ones to welcome them back, and in their gratitude they will see fit to grant us boons."**

 **"Who's boons?" Blake asked, "Your boons? Utterly deceptive twaddle speak says I."**

 **"If you have a better alternative, please share," Ozpin gestured to everyone.**

 **Blake thought for a moment, "Cuttlefish. Aye. Let us not dear friends, forget our dear friends the cuttlefish." Blake moved around the room, "Flipping glorious little sausages. Pen them up together, they'll devour each other without a second thought. Human nature isn't it? Or...or fish nature. So, yes, we could hole up here well-provisioned and well-armed. Half of us would be dead weighing a month. Which seems quite grim to me any way you slice it. Or...as my learned colleague so naively suggests, we bring in the maidens, and we can pray that they'll be merciful. I rather doubt it. Can we pretend they're anything but women scorned by which fury hell hath no? We cannot. Res ipsa loquitur tabula in naufragio. We are left with but one option. I agree with, and I cannot believe the words are coming out of me mouth...Captain Xio Long. We must fight."**

"Are we not friends in this universe?" Yang watched Blake on screen.

"Frenemies?" Blake shrugged, "It doesn't look like we hate each other."

"But the way you talk and look at me say there's some bad blood there," Yang pointed at the screen.

"Friends fight, I'm sure we'll be ok in a few scenes," Blake smiled.

 **"You've always run away from a fight!" Ozpin yelled.**

Blake shrunk at the accuracy of that statement.

 **"Have not!" Blake yelled back.**

 **"Have so."**

 **"Have not!"**

 **"Have so."**

 **"Have not!"**

 **"You have so and you know it!"**

"What are you five years old?!" Glynda scolded Ozpin.

 **"Have not slander and calumny. I have only ever embraced the oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. I submit that here now that is what we all must do: We must fight...to run away."**

 **"Aye!" Everyone shouted.**

 **"As per the code, an act of war, and this be exactly that, can only be declared by the Pirate King." Ozpin crossed his arms.**

 **"You made that up!" Blake unconvinced accused.**

 **"Did I now?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow, "I call on Captain Kali, Keeper of the Code!"**

 **A silver haired captain jabs his man next to him.**

 **"Mercury," he began, "Proclaims this all to be folly! Hang the code! Who cares about a...?" The man talking was immediately shot in the head.**

 **Everyone in stunned horror looks behind Blake to see another cat Faunus.**

"MOM?!" Blake screamed.

 **"Code is the Law," an older version of Blake stepped forward, only this one had several piercings in her cat ears. She wore a black hakuama and sandals. Her jacket had a long right sleeve and a short left sleeve, with gold trim along the front. Around her waist is a gold and black sash with a gold shaped flower buckle.**

"That's your mother?!" Everybody yelled.

"She's a bit less murderous but yes that's her..."

"I like her," Adam and Cinder agreed.

" **You're in my way girl," she said coldly and Blake moved aside.**

 **She signaled and two elderly men carried a massive tome. "The Code" was whispered by everyone around. They watched in awe as the men placed the book on the table, the screen focused on the words: "Pirata Codex."**

"Bart?" Ozpin looked at the eccentric professor.

"I have no idea what that is," he shook his head, "But if it makes this much of a scene I must have it!"

 **Kali unlocked the seal and opened the book. She trailed her fingers along the pages before sighing, "Ozpin is right."**

 **Ozpin took a little bow.**

" **Hang on a minute," Blake read over where her mother was pointing, "It shall be the duty of the King to declare war or parley with shared adversaries. Fancy that."**

"This is an interesting development," Oobleck watched with intensity, "So the pirates follow a law and monarchy of sorts."

"It would seem so," Qrow watched himself on screen stand up.

" **There has not been a king since the first brethren," he stated, "And that's not likely to change."**

" **Not likely," Kali retreated to a chair behind Blake.**

" **Why not?" Yang leaned over to Ren.**

" **See the pirate king is elected by popular vote," Ren began.**

" **And each pirate only ever votes for hisself," Ozpin finished.**

" **I call for a vote," Blake smiled causing everyone to roll their eyes.**

 **Kali started playing her guitar.**

" **Peter Port," he rose from his chair.**

" **Qrow Branwen," he drunkenly stood up.**

" **Mercury votes for Mercury," his other voice spoke for him.**

" **Glynda Goodwhich," her subordinates bowed their heads.**

" **Barthelme Oobleck," he quickly rose.**

 **Yang shook her head, "Yang Xio Long."**

" **Ozpin," he pinched the bridge of his nose.**

" **Cinder Fall!" she announced.**

 **Kali stopped playing and watched Blake.**

" **Yang Xio Long," Blake smiled and Kali resumed playing.**

" **What?" she asked in disbelief.**

" **I know curious, isn't it?" Blake continued to smile.**

"I'm the Pirate Queen!" Yang pumped her arms.

"Oh lord," Qrow slumped in his chair.

"Yang no," Ruby pleaded.

 **Everyone began fighting and shouts began overlapping.**

" **Am I to understand you'll not be keeping to the code?" Blake asked and Kali's guitar string broke silencing everyone. Everyone sat back down, Glynda was the first to speak.**

" **Captain Xio Long, Queen of the Pirates, what is our next move?"**

If Yang's ego wasn't already inflated, the sound of the school's disciplinary calling her the queen just sent it to the moon. Cinder was also disappointed she wasn't named queen, but going against Salem was suicide in her mind.

" **Prepare every vessel that floats," She ordered, "At dawn we're at war."**

 **Everyone began cheering, Ozpin shook his head and left. Blake turned to face her mother who was just staring at her blankly.**

" **What?" Blake shrugged, "You've seen it all done it all and you survived. That's the trick, isn't it? To survive?"**

" **It's not just about living forever Blakey," Kali shook her head, "The trick is: living with yourself forever."**

Blake, Adam, Emerald, and even Cinder stopped to take in the words. All of their lives were focused on survival. But could they live with themselves? Truly live with themselves?

Blake left the White Fang for Beacon, she wanted to help people by becoming a huntress, and to atone for her sins. But her past still haunted her dreams, and it would eventually catch up with her. What would she do then?

Adam convinced himself he was doing the right thing for the fang. Killing people, burning down shops, robbing the Schnee Dust Company. But how many lives had he ruined in his wake? How many families did he destroy? How many people were now starving without their jobs? Was he really doing the right thing?

Emerald had the same thoughts. She stole for her survival, at first, then she did it for fun. But unlike Adam who thought he was doing the right thing, how many people did she condemn because of her sick thrill seeking?

Cinder wanted power, she wanted to be the strongest person there ever was. But what would she do once she's there? She'd be alone, if Salem didn't cast her aside first.

 **The scene changed to an armada of pirate ships on the open sea.**

"Epic battle," Mercury began, "Twenty bucks says it starts raining."

" **It's not over," Yang stood on a ship.**

" **There's still a fight to be had," Jaune told Ren.**

" **We have an armada against us," Ren pointed to the Schnee Ships across the sea, "And with the Dutchman there's no chance."**

" **Only a fool's chance," Yang said.**

" **Revenge won't bring your sister back Ms. Xio Long," Ozpin stepped closer to her, "And it's not something I intend to die for."**

"I'M DEAD?!" Ruby gasped.

"I'm gonna kill some people," Yang's eyes flashed red.

"I'm gonna help," Qrow growled.

" **You're right," Yang looked at Ozpin, "Then what shall we die for? You will listen to me," her eyes changed to red, "LISTEN! The Bretheren will still be looking to us, to the White Rose to lead them! And what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No. They will see free men and freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons. They will hear the ring of our swords. And they will know what we can really do! From the sweat of our brow and the strength of our backs…and the courage of our hearts! Gentlemen…hoist the colors."**

" **Aye," Jaune smiled, "The winds on our side boys! THAT'S ALL WE NEED!"**

 **Everyone shouted in agreement. Every ship behind them was cheering as they raised their individual flag.**

" **We have a favorable wind sir," a man approached Whitley drinking tea.**

" **So we do," he looked at the sky, "Signal Salem to give no quarter. That should brighten her day."**

 **The same man waved two flags in a pattern. A man on the flying Dutchman was looking at him with a telecope.**

" **To arms! We give no quarter!" James commanded.**

 **The Grimm and the Schnee guards cheer as they ready their weapons. But Salem looks to the sky and sees it darkening. As the rain fell on her face, she let out a fierce battle cry.**

"Called it," Mercury smirks.

Emerald hands him a twenty-lien card.

 **The Flying Dutchman and White Rose began sailing toward one another. A lightning strike hit the water.**

" **MALESTROM!" Ren shouted as he leaned off the deck.**

" **CAPTAIN OZPIN," Yang shouted, "We need you at the helm."**

" **Aye that be true!" Ozpin smiled as he took the wheel, "BRACE UP YARDS, YOU CACK-HANDED DECK APES! DYING IS THE DAY WORTH LIVING FOR!"**

Every professor laughed at Ozpin. It's not every day that you see the headmaster of one of the most prestigious academies in the world act like a pirate.

" **Veer off!" James was helping turn the wheel.**

" **She'll not harm us," Salem turned back the wheel, "FULL-BORE AND INTO THE ABYSS!"**

" **Are you mad?" James pulled at Salem's collar.**

" **Are ye afraid to get wet?" Salem laughed.**

 **The Flying Dutchman sailed on the edge of the maelstrom.**

" **She's on our stern and gaining," Jaune watched.**

" **MORE SPEED!" Ozpin commanded, "HAUL YOUR WIND AND HOLD YOUR WATER!"**

" **BOW CANNONS!" Salem screeched.**

 **From the very front of the ship two tri-barreled cannons came out of the ship. When one fired, the whole thing rotated, and the second barreled fired, the process repeated until all three shots were fired. A few grazed the White Rose, but none were a critical hit.**

" **Take us out!" Jaune stepped to Ozpin, "Or they'll overbear us!"**

" **Nay," Ozpin shook his head, "Further in! We'll cut across to faster waters!"**

" **Prepare to broadside!" Yang watched Ozpin steer the ship into the maelstrom.**

 **His plan worked, the cannons began to miss entirely.**

" **Captain the guns!" Ren yelled, "Bear a hand!"**

" **Muster your courage men!" Jaune was handing out lighting sticks, "GET READY!"**

" **Baton down the hatches!" Nora was below deck commanding the second crew, "Stand to your guns! Midship cannoneers, sight the masts!"**

 **The boards went up and the cannons stepped out.**

" **Main battery at the ready," James commanded and the Flying Dutchman did the same.**

" **Hold there!" Nora held up her hand, "Wait till we're board-and-board!"**

"Holy shit this is exciting!" Yang vibrated in her seat.

James looked curious, "So am I a bad guy or good guy here? I can't tell."

"I can't tell which is funnier," Qrow wiped a tear from his eye, "Oz or Salem acting like a pirate.

Cinder would never admit it, but she had blood in her mouth. Because she bit her tongue in an attempt to keep herself from laughing so hard.

" **FIRE!" Ozpin shouted to Yang.**

" **FIRE!" Yang ordered everyone uptop.**

" **FIRE ALL!" Nora yelled.**

 **The White Rose began taking out a few cannons on the Flying Dutchman.**

" **FIRE!" Salem demanded, as the Flying Dutchman fired back.**

 **Both ships were taking hits as they swirled further in the maelstrom. One shot after another crew members on both sides were dropping.**

" **It be too late to alter course now mateys!" Ozpin laughed.**

"HE SAID IT!" Qrow was holding his sides, "I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT THIS WHOLE TIME!"

 **A perfectly timed cannonball ripped the door off of Blake's cage. She jumped up only for Weiss and Winter to point tiny cannons at her.**

" **Hold it!" Winter demanded, "Or we'll shoot!"**

 **A cannonball ripped up the wall behind them.**

" **Good one," Blake laughed as she reequipped herself, "Admirable though it may be, why are you here when you could be elsewhere?"**

" **Someone has to stay and guard the chest," Winter and Weiss pointed the cannons at each other.**

" **There's no question," Winter began, "There has been a breakdown in military discipline aboard this vessel."**

" **I blame the Grimm People," Weiss said.**

 **Blake was standing between them.**

" **Oh, so Grimm People, by dint of being Grimm People automatically aren't as disciplined as non-Grimm people?"**

"Is Winter defending the Grimm?" Weiss stared dumbfounded at the screen.

"I knew Schnees were arrogant but this seems…stupid." Adam watched the sisters argue.

" **Seems contributory is all I'm suggesting," Weiss ignored Blake take the black chest in the middle of the room.**

" **It's true, if there were no Grimm-People," Winter nodded, "There would be no reason to guard the chest."**

" **And if there were no chest, there'd be no reason to guard it!"**

 **Weiss and Winter looked down to see a black outline of where the chest once was as another cannonball shot through the room they were in.**

"That was pointless," Weiss rubbed the sides of her head.

" **Prepare to board!" James yelled as the ships drew closer to one another.**

" **Cover!" Salem jumped on James when a cannonball hit near the wheel.**

 **She saw the dead soldiers and smirked. She wrapped her hands around James' neck and began to squeeze. Once she heard his neck break, she grabbed the key around his neck and smiled.**

"Seeing your own death is rather…unnerving…" James shuddered in his seat.

"Welcome to the club," Pyrrha, Cinder, Qrow, and Ruby waved.

 **Blake stepped on deck only to meet Salem.**

" **Lookee here," Salem called the Grimm to her side, "A lost kitten! A lost kitten that never learned to run away!" Salem drew her sword.**

" **To my great regret," Blake chuckled, "But!" she grabbed a rope, "Never too late to learn!" she broke the lock that was holding it down to have the wind glide her up the mast. "I INSANTLY REGRET THIS!" she balanced herself on the narrow wood.**

 **Salem materialized herself on the same wood, "The chest, hand it over."**

" **I can set you free," Blake drew Gambol Shroud.**

" **My freedom was forfeit long ago," She charged, but Blake defended.**

 _Wait what?_ Cinder thought.

"Oz?" Qrow looked over.

"I've given up on asking questions at this point…" Ozpin watched his pirate self.

"Nonsense!" Oobleck pointed, "We must never give up asking questions!"

"Then please explain why we're pirates, fighting in a maelstrom,"

"Different Universes remember?" Oobleck smiled.

 **Crews from both ships swung from ropes. Grimm landed on the White Rose, while humans landed on the Flying Dutchman. Jaune and Yang stood side-by-side fighting off the grim.**

" **Yang," he called out.**

 **Both struck a Beowulf at the same time.**

" **Yang," he pulled her close, "Will you marry me?"**

Pyrrha spit out her drink.

"Well," Yang blushed, "Doesn't get any more romantic than in the rain fighting a bunch of Grimm, does it?"

 _Don't kill Yang,_ Pyrrha rubbed her hands together, _Killing people is wrong! Even if they are blonde vixens who steal your man!_

" **I don't think now's the best time!" Yang dodged an ursa's attack.**

"Geeze Yang," Black scoffed, "Have you no sense of romance?"

"I agree with Ms. Xio Long," Glynda nodded, "Now is hardly the best time."

" **Now may be the only time!" Jaune quickly cut the head off the ursa.**

 **They continued to fight off Grimm and the Atlesian knights. Before locking arms.**

" **I've made my choice," Jaune whispered, "What's yours?"**

" **OZPIN!" Yang looked up, "Marry us!"**

" **I'M A LITTLE BUSY AT THE MOMENT!" Ozpin struck down a beowulf with his cane.**

"Nonsense!" Port yelled at the screen, "Of course you can marry them while fighting off monsters!"

"Peter not you too," Glynda sighed.

" **OZPIN NOW!" Jaune fought off more Grimm.**

"Damn Vomit Boy," Mercury laughed, "Got some balls demanding something from Ozpin."

"I agree with Mr. Black," Glynda clenched her fists.

" **FINE!" Ozpin struck one down as he jumped on a ledge overlooking the deck, "DEARLY BELOVED, WE ARE GATHER HERE TODAY…"**

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!" Glynda yelled as the students laughed.

"TOLD YOU!" Port cheered in victory.

" **TO NAIL YOUR GIZZARDS TO THE MAST YOU POXY CUR!" Ozpin, Jaune, and Yang attacked more Grimm.**

"I want my real wedding to go like this," Yang laughed.

"Same," Everyone agreed.

 _As long as it isn't with Jaune,_ Pyrrha added.

" **Yang Xio Long," Jaune asked, "Do you take me to be your husband?"**

" **I do!" she smiled.**

" **Great!" he let her go and began attacking more Grimm.**

" **Jaune Arc," Yang paused to attack, "Do you take me to be your wife…in sickness and in health…with health being the less likely?"**

" **I do," Jaune smiled.**

"The perfect wedding," Cinder laughed, "On a ship, in the rain, surrounded by corpses."

"Isn't it?" Emerald agreed.

"Say what you want," Yang leaned forward, "I just got married, aren't the both of you still single?"

Cinder and Emerald were flushed with embarrassment. While Mercury laughed.

" **AS CAPTAIN, I NOW PRONUNCE YOU," Ozpin was fighting more Grimm, "YOU MAY KISS…YOU MAY KISS…JUST KISS ALREADY!"**

 **And they did.**

It can be said that Pyrrha's whole body radiated with anger as the screen just had to hold on the newlyweds kissing. Everyone backed away from her as much as they could.

 **Unfortunately, a battle was still going on. Winter and Weiss had made it above deck, while Blake and Salem traded blows above them.**

" **You can do nothing without the key!" Salem locked swords.**

" **I already have they key!" Blake bluffed.**

 **Salem held up the key, "Uh no you don't."**

" **Oh, that key," Blake broke the lock and swiftly cut off Salem's hand holding the key.**

 **Salem roared in pain, while Blake disarmed her, and hit her with the chest. She swung down the finishing blow when Salem grabbed Blake's weapon and broke it to a stump.**

 **The ships were drawing closer till the masts finally collided. This knocked Blake off.**

" **NO!" Salem cried grabbing the chest, only with Blake hanging on to it. She shook Blake off, but thankfully Blake collided with a solider trying to swing to the White Rose.**

" **I'll take that," Blake takes his gun and cracks his head with it. The rope swung around the ship, but then she found the perfect shot. She lined up her sights with Salem's hand and fired.**

" **AH!" Salem yelped as she dropped the case.**

 **Jaune decided to swung to the Flying Dutchman, determination turned into dumfounded as the chest he was searching for was right in front of him. He picked up the chest and began running, Dodging the cannonballs and splinters flying, he was cornered by an alpha.**

 **The screen showed Zwei in a cannon. It fired and Zwei snarled as he latched onto the Alpha and tore into his face.**

" **Thank you Zwei!" Jaune nodded.**

 **A solider picked up a sword, but Salem stabbed him with it and took for herself. As Jaune was running her was punched by a Half-Human, Half-Grimm hybrid. He dropped the chest in the struggle. Salem, blind with fury, cut down any who stood in her way to the chest. Blake slowly climbed down the rope back to the deck.**

" **Stop!" Jaune didn't attack, "It's me! It's Jaune! Your Son!"**

 **William stopped his hand reaching for his son, but he grabbed his hair instead and threw him down. He tried to stab him but Jaune rolled away.**

 **Salem was in front of Blake again. Blake drew her sword, but forgot it was now a tiny dagger. Salem laughed as she charged, Blake ran around a circular piece of wood. Salem glared at her before she remembered, and began walking through the wood. Blake spun it making Salem spin in place. Once she stopped she deadpanned at Blake, then screamed in her face.**

The theater screamed with Blake.

 **Weiss and Winter held onto the rope together and they swung to the White Rose. Only they were a little too low and crashed below deck. On the same rope Yang used it to swing to the Flying Dutchman.**

 **Blake was fighting Salem with a loose piece of wood. She was able to land one hit before Salem caught it with her hand, and backhanded Blake.**

 **Yang landed in front of Salem.**

" **Xio Long!" Salem glared, "You'll see no mercy from me!"**

" **That's why I brought this!" Yang drew a sword.**

 **As they clashed Blake noticed something crawling away from her. It was Salem's hand, with the key!**

 **Jaune finally disarmed his father and held his sword to his neck. He turned around when he heard Yang grunting, "I'm not going to kill you." He stabbed a dagger next to William's head, "I made a promise."**

 **Salem was about to deliver the finishing blow, Jaune drove his sword into her back!**

"Yes!" James cheered.

 _Again?!_ Cinder glared.

 **Salem's scream turned into laughter, "Did you forget? I'm a heartless wretch!" she bent the sword across her chest.**

"Damn it!" Qrow grunted.

 _HaHa!_ Cinder smiled, _In your dreams Ozpin._

 **Jaune tried to remove his sword but Salem laughed at his attempts. She spun around and swung her sword. Jaune ducked ever slash, so, Salem raised her leg and kicked him down.**

 **While he was on the ground he looked toward Yang and she looked at him. Salem watched the two exchange glances and laugh again.**

" **Love," She calmed down, "A dreadful bond. And yet so easily severed. Tell me Jaune Arc, do you fear death?"**

" **DO YOU?!" Blake yelled gaining everyone's attention. She held in her hand a black beating heart. The blood staining her hand.**

"Is that?" James watched.

"I believe it is," Ozpin leaned forward.

"So, what's about to happen next?" Qrow watched with increased interest.

 _Dear God the suspense is killing me!_ Cinder was on the edge of her seat, _Someone kill someone already!_

" **Heady tonic," Blake held her dagger above the heart, "Holding life and death in the palm of one's hand."**

" **You're a cruel fiend," Salem stood in place, "Blake Belladonna."**

" **Cruel is a matter of perspective," Blake smiled.**

" **Is it?" Salem drove her sword into Jaune's chest.**

"JAUNE!" Yang and Pyrrha cried.

Nora took Ren's hand and silently cried.

On the surface Ren looked calm, but seeing his brother strck down was something that shook him to the core.

Ruby looked at the others trying to avoid the screen.

Weiss held her hand over her mouth.

Blake's grip on the armrests began to tighten.

Yang had tears in her red eyes.

The professors were silent.

 _Ah finally,_ Cinder smiled and relaxed in her seat, _Someone other than my mistress falls._

" **Jaune?" Yang crawled to him, "Look at me! Stay with me! You're alright."**

 **William looked at them, then the knife, and finally at Salem. "MY SON!" He leapt up and punched Salem, but even with his Grimm powers Salem fought him off.**

" **Jaune?" Yang was shaking his head, "Jaune? Look at me. Look at me!"**

" **You will not forestall my judgment!" Salem chocked William.**

 **The screen showed a black heart being stabbed.**

 **Salem convulsed as she turned around, she saw Jaune's limp hand falling from the blade that stabbed her heart. William took the opportunity to throw her overboard.**

" **SHE'S TAKING US DOWN!" Ozpin looked at the masts still together, "MAKE QUICK OR IT'S THE LOCKER FOR US ALL!"**

 **Ren and Nora had a cannon pointed at the two locking together. When it fired the two separated. Ozpin began steering the White Rose back to level waters.**

" **No…" Yang both on and off screen whimpered.**

 _Salem's dead again, but she took that annoying blond with her._

" **No…no…NO!" Yang cried.**

 **Blake looked around and saw the Grimm surrounding them. They ignored them and were chanting: "Part of the crew. Part of the ship."**

" **Don't leave me!" Blake had to force Yang off of Jaune. Blake began gathering materials while Yang protested and thrashed against her.**

" **The Dutchman must always have a Captain," William stood over Jaune.**

" **Hold on!" Blake shot at a pully and they were sent into the air. Yang cried as she watched the Flying Dutchman sink into the abyss.**

 **The White Rose sailed to where they landed and Blake, Yang, and Zewi climbed aboard.**

" **Blake," Ren watched Yang stare into nothingness, "The armada is still out there. Whitley's ship is coming up hard to starboard. And I think it's time to embrace that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions."**

" **Never actually been one for tradition," Blake glared at the armada, "Close haul her! Luff the sails and lay her in irons!"**

" **Belay that or we'll be a sitting duck!" Ozpin yelled.**

" **Belay that "belay that!" Blake ordered.**

" **But Blake the arma-" Ren started**

" **Belay."**

" **Whitley's ship-"**

" **SHUT UP!" Blake silenced everyone.**

"What's gonna happen?" Ruby watched fifty cannons come out of each side of Whitley's ship.

 **The Flying Dutchman came roaring out of the water like a geyser. The crew moaned and groaned as their Grimm masks fell off and their bodies returned to normal. William held his mask in his hand as he looked up to see…**

" **Ready on the guns!" Jaune ordered. His shirt was gone and across his chest was a massive scar.**

The ladies of the theater, minus Glynda, were blushing at the sight of the well-toned man with a nice scar adding to the appeal.

"I don't know what to say," Velvet pulled her ears over her eyes.

Coco purred, "Yang, your new hubby is fit."

"Back off Coco," Yang's nose was bleeding.

 _Bad Pyrrha! Don't cut Jaune just so he can have that scar! Bad!_

 _Well, even if he is the weakest one here, he's got a nice body,_ Cinder shook her head at the thought.

" **FULL CANVAS!" Blake ordered.**

" **AYE FULL CANVAS!" Ozpin agreed with Blake.**

 **Both ships began to turn and aimed their cannons, both of them flanking Whitley's ship.**

" **Orders sir?" a man asked Whitley, "S-Sir!"**

" **Blake?" Ren watched nervously.**

" **Fire," Blake told Ren.**

" **FIRE!" Ren screamed.**

" **FIRE!" Jaune ordered.**

" **FIRE!" Ozpin joined.**

" **FIRE ALL!" Yang's eyes flashed red.**

"FIRE!" the theater screamed caught in the moment.

" **ORDERS?" the second shouted, "ORDERS SIR?!"**

" **Sir what do you command?" another walked up to him.**

 **Whitley stared in silence as both the White Rose and Flying Dutchman began destroying the ship.**

 **The second looked at the other man, "ABANDON SHIP! ALL HANDS ABANDON SHIP!**

 **Whitley stood in the same spot till the ship finally exploded. As the burning wreckage sunk the armada gather behind them began retreating.**

" **They're turning away!" Nora announced.**

 **Everyone began cheering. Everyone but Jaune, he leaned over the edge looking at the White Rose.**

" **Orders sir?" William had a ten-mile smile on his face.**

" **You're no longer bound," Jaune kept his eyes on the ship, "You're free."**

" **Aye," William's smiled not falling, "But the way I see it, I still have a debt to pay. If you'll have me."**

 **Jaune smiled and looked at his father, "On the wheel then Mr. Arc."**

 **As if it was impossible William's smile grew even more, "Aye, Captain Arc."**

 **Jaune went back to staring at the White Rose.**

 **It was then William frowned, "This ship has a purpose again, and where we are bound she cannot come. One Day on Land, Ten Years at Sea. A steep price for what's been done."**

" **It all depends on the day," Jaune smiled at his father.**

"Ten years?" Blake sighed, "Is it really worth it?"

"It's like he said," Adam spoke up, "It all depends on the day."

 **The scene changed to a beach where two swords where crossed in the sand. Jaune was getting dressed, while Yang stared at him wearing a yellow summer dress.**

" **So soon?" Yang purred.**

" **It's nearly sunset," Jaune looked at the sun. He held a chest where a faint beating could be heard, "I once thought this belonged to Weiss, Nut I now realize it's always belonged to you."**

" **Took you long enough," Yang smiled.**

" **Will you keep it safe?" Jaune handed it to her.**

" **Always," Yang took it.**

 **Jaune swung his coat on and walked toward the water.**

" **Jaune!" Yang dropped the chest and ran into his arms.**

 **There is always time for one last kiss.**

" **Keep a weather eye on the horizon," Jaune smiled when the kiss finally broke and he retreated into the water.**

"So, is Jaune the new Salem now?" Qrow whispered.

"I don't think so," Ozpin shook his head, "Knowing Mr. Arc, I'm sure he'll do whatever he can to make it back to Yang.


	5. (I-I) Feel Good Arc

" **How do you do?" the man on stage was back, "As of the moment you've seen the brighter side of this tale. But Mr. WarThunder would like to take this time to say there cannot be light without the dark."**

"I don't like where this is going," Yang spoke up.

" **It would genuinely surprise me if you did," the man chuckled, "But before we get into the darker stories, Mr. WarThunder has decided to break the two with a charming musical number."**

"Wait," Ruby raised her hand, "So every time we switch between light and dark, there's going to be a musical?"

" **And random," he nodded.**

"Random?" Ozpin asked.

" **There are some universes that are neither good nor bad," he shrugged, "They're just plain random."**

"Such as?" Glynda and Oobleck asked out of curiosity.

" **Now why ruin the surmise now?" He began to retreat off stage, "Enjoy the show."**

"I wanna see a random one!" Nora bounced in her seat.

"I am also curious," Cinder rubbed her chin, _Angels, Dragons, Pirates are the light? What is dark? And what in the seven hells is random?!_

 **The screen showed Beacon tower it trailed upwards and peered inside Ozpin's office. Only instead of the usual green it was red, with women lying about in very revealing outfits.**

" **Feel good," A spotlight showed Jaune in Ozpin's chair as a bass guitar and drums started playing.**

" **Feel good," he repeated as it showed Ren shirtless playing the guitar while his body was caressed by a woman who wasn't Nora.**

" **Feel good," Jaune kept saying as Ren bobbed his head up and down as he played.**

" **Feel good," Jaune dragged himself out of the chair.**

" **Feel good," Nora was playing the drums.**

" **Feel good," Jaune was standing finally.**

" **Feel good," Ren kept playing.**

" **Feel good," Nora's face was hidden as she played the drums.**

" **Feel good," Jaune raised a megaphone to his mouth.**

"I like the new digs Oz," Qrow nodded with approval.

"What did he do to my office?" Ozpin seemed rather upset.

"Gee," Yang rolled her eyes, "I wonder what's he gonna say next?"

"Feel good?" Nora smiled at Yang.

" **City's breaking down on a camel's back," Jaune began walking forward as he sang, "They just have to go. Cuase they don't know wack. So, all you fill the streets it's appealing to see. You won't get undercounted cause you're damned and free."**

 **Ren was slowly rising to his feet, the way Jaune walked was different. He was slumped over and swinging his free arm wildly.**

" **You got a new horizon it's ephemeral style. A melancholy town where we never smile. Now all I wanna hear is the message beep. My dreams they got to kiss me cause I don't get sleep no."**

 **Jaune placed his hands against the glass as he looked at the clouds. A windmill was seen emerging from the clouds. Two monotone beeps where then heard.**

" **Windmill, windmill for the land," Jaune watched the windmill, "Turn forever hand in hand. Take it all in on your stride. It is tickling, Falling down. Love forever, love has freely. Turned forever you and me. Windmill, windmill for the land. Is everybody in?"**

 **The screen where Ozpin called people now had Ruby on the giant monitor.**

" **Laughing gas these hazmat's," Ruby rapped, surprising everyone, while Jaune convulsed turning to look at the monitor, "Lining them up like ass cracks. Play these ponies at the track, it's my chocolate attack!"**

 **Ruby appeared on every wall, Jaune convulsed watching every monitor.**

" **Shit," Ruby continued rapping, "I'm steppin' in harder this year. Care bear rapping harder this year. Watch me as I gravitate ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Yo, we goin ghost town this Motown. With your sound, you in the blink. Going bite the dust can't fight with us. With your sound, you kill the Inc. So, don't stop get it, get it. Until you're cheddar headed. Watch the way I navigate…" Ruby ended her rap with laughter that got more maniacal as it went on.**

 **It was revealed the windmill was on a floating island. The very tip of it was Pyrrha kicking her legs off the edge as she played an acoustic guitar.**

" **Windmill, windmill for the land," Jaune and Pyrrha sang together while Jaune's breath fogged up the window, "Turn forever hand in hand. Take it all in on your stride. It is tickling, Falling down. Love forever, love has freely. Turned forever you and me. Windmill, windmill for the land. Is everybody in?" Jaune fell back his fingers leaving lines in the fog while Pyrrha flew away.**

" **Don't stop get it, get it," Ruby was rapping again while Ren on Ozpin's desk rotated his hips while women on the floor were reaching for him, "Peep how your captain's in it. Steady watch me navigate ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Don't stop get it, get it. Peep how your captain's in it. Steady watch me navigate ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"**

 **The video ended with Ruby's insane laughter, Ren still moving his hips, Nora drumming, Jaune sitting back down, and Pyrrha flying out of view.**

"What in the fuck was that?!" Yang stared at the blank screen.

"I'm at a loss for words…" Ozpin rubbed his eyes.

"I liked it," Ruby smiled.

"Same here," Mercury high-fived Ruby.

"It was interesting to say the least," Cinder smirked.

"No one touches Ren but me," Nora snarled.

Everyone backed away from Nora…


	6. (IV) Pain to Remnant

"Everyone ready for the darker stuff?" Ruby chuckled.

"Well I'm certainly weirded out," Yang shrugged, "Seriously what was with that song?"

"Feel Good," Nora sang gaining a glare from Yang.

 **"After the failure in Vale," a woman's voice now recognized as Salem spoke over a dark screen, "I want you to go find the Fall Maiden."**

 **"As you wish my Mistress," a deep voice sent a chill down everyone's spines.**

"Ozpin," James was worried.

"Now now," Ozpin lowered his voice, "We can spin this as an alternate reality."

"I hope you're right," Qrow shook his head.

 **The screen turned on revealing Beacon under a bright sunny sky. A group of soldiers were gathered around one.**

 **"That's my report," he finished.**

 **Two men joined them, "Scouting completed sir, nothing suspicious."**

 **The scene changed to a little girl running through the town, she waved at her grandmother who laughed and hobbled to the child.**

 **"A jumbo chocolate chip cookie after a mission is just what I live for!" Ruby nibbled at her prize.**

 **"You are incorrigible," Weiss sighed as she ate her own.**

"Accurate," Weiss, Blake, and Yang shook their heads.

"HEY!" Ruby pouted.

 **Another scene was in Beacon's surveillance room. While the staff droned on watching the cameras the security guards where playing with a deck of cards.**

"They better not be that lazy for real," Glynda glared at the screen.

"What do you expect on a day like this?" Qrow knew he'd had his fair share of games with them.

"Admittedly he is correct," Oobleck nodded, "On the weekends we sometimes join them."

 **The scene was back outside with the soldiers from earlier.**

 **"Better get this report in before it's late," their leader started.**

 **Only then Jaune appeared in front of them startling them all. This Jaune was different, he had six black piercings in his nose, seven in each ear, and two on his bottom lip. But what stood out where his eyes, a dark purple with a ripple pattern.**

"Whoa," Yang looked at this Jaune, "This one is kinda creepy looking..."

"Just a tad..." Blake nodded.

"Does he have enough piercings?" Weiss counted.

"Maybe too much time at Hot Topic," Mercury laughed at this one.

 **Before a word was said Jaune drove his sword into the solider's chest. Two tackled Jaune while the third one readied his weapon. But the two were sent flying into the trees, the third started to levitate, and impale himself on Jaune's blade.**

 **"The time has come," he spoke with the deep voice from the beginning.**

Everyone was silent.

"I'd like to take back what I said," Mercury was regretting his recent words.

 _Mistress,_ Cinder thought, _Who is this man? Do you really have something similar in case I fail?_

 **Six people joined him. Five of them had piercings riddling their faces in patterns, while the sixth female had none.**

"M-Mom?" Ruby pointed at the woman without piercings. She recognized her silver eyes anywhere.

"No," Qrow didn't believe what was on screen.

"That can't be her!" Yang's eyes flashed red.

"Could it really be her?" Glynda asked Ozpin.

"No!" Qrow quickly dismissed.

"A body was never found Qrow," James had to tell him.

"Is that?" Weiss started but stopped when Ruby tearfully nodded.

 **"From here on we split into two teams," Jaune declared, "I'll go over it again. Diversion is: Shirado, Chikushodo, and Gakido. In the hunt: Tendo, Ingendo, and Jigokudo. Summer, you're with the hunt."**

Ruby let out a gasp at her mother's name. She was really there. Qrow crushed his flask in his hands while the rest of the professors remained silent.

 **Shirado was bald with six spikes in his head. Four flat stubs, two one each cheek, and one significantly larger one on his chin.**

 **Jigokudo had short hair like Jaune only his piercing made a V pattern starting from his nose and going down each cheek.**

 **Chikushodo had three stubs in each cheek, surprisingly the least amount out of all of them.**

 **Gakido had slicked back hair. Two stubs on his nose, a spike in each cheek bone, two in his lower lip, and two long spikes in each ear.**

 **Ningendo had hair down his back. He had two stubs in each cheek, two spikes in his chin, but a crooked almost broken one in his nose.**

 **But they all had the same purple eyes as Jaune.**

"Each one is more creepy than the last," Mercury examined each one.

 _I sincerely hope that you don't have these in our world mistress..._

 **"I know," Summer's voice brought tears to Qrow, Ruby, and Yang. They'd never thought that they would hear her voice again, much less it'd be evil.**

 **"A spherical barrier that includes underground and aerial coverage surrounds Beacon Academy and Vale," Jaune examined the school, "Anyone without proper authorization will be detected immediately by Ozpin."**

"Ozpin," James whispered, "This is getting too close to be comforting."

"I know James," Ozpin squeezed his cane, "But we can't do anything."

"Maybe we can learn from this," Oobleck took out a notepad, "If they infiltrate, we'll know what to do to counter."

 **"As planned we will launch Chikushodo into the skies above Beacon," Jaune explained, "We will confuse the enemy by not giving them an accurate count. We will wait for Chikushodo's summoning."**

 **"I was told Cinder and her team got in easily," Summer stated.**

 **"Cinder was part of Haven's transfers for the Vytal Festival," Jaune retorted, "She was given the benefit of the doubt. I have my own way of doing things. Now they shall learn what pain is."**

"What did he mean by that Ms. Fall?" Ozpin asked.

"This is a different reality," Cinder shrugged, "Who knows what crazy things are going on here?"

 **Shirado picked up Chikushodo and threw her several miles into the air.**

"Damn!" Sun watched her fly.

"That's impossible," Adam slack jawed.

"See?" Cinder pointed at the screen trying to deflect attention from her.

 **Once on a rooftop a puff of smoke engulfed Chikushodo, and the other six were at her side.**

 **"Scatter!" Jaune ordered and they disappeared.**

 **"We've spotted an intruder," one of the radarmen spoke up alerting the security guards, "A single target, West Gate, Sector 1-B."**

"What did he mean?" Nora asked Ren, "About pain?"

"Huh?" Ren looked at her with a tilted head.

"Now they shall learn what pain is," Pyrrha repeated Jaune's words, "I don't know."

"People can't truly understand each other without experiencing their pain," Adam clarified, "Tell me something girl, can you truly say you know what it's like to be treated as a thing rather than a person?"

"No..." Nora shook her head.

 **The first to land was Shirado, as he slid across the ground he grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm off with bloody fashion. Except instead of bone on the inside their was a metal pole. The pole had several smaller objects on it and made a high pitched whine as they soared through the air.**

 **"What's that?" Velvet and some of the other Faunus heard the whistling.**

 **Without warning the flying objects exploded.**

"Not very subtle is he?" Emerald watched.

"He's not meant to be," James recalled the plan.

 **In another area, Chikushodo summoned two King Taijitus that began destroying buildings.**

 **While in a different area, Gakido was strangling a solider. One fired his weapon at him, but when Gakido raised his hand a shield came forth, absorbing the bullets. Once he was out of ammo, Gakido killed him too.**

"What kind of semblances are those?" Oobleck watched and took notes, "Summoning Grimm, Absorbing Gunfire, and Launching Missiles from your body?!"

"I've never even considered those types of semblances to even exist," Port watched.

"It's been theorized," Ozpin began, "Every semblance is different, but none have ever been like these."

 **"Simultaneous Grimm and military attacks?!" One soldier watched, "I thought there was only one intruder?!"**

 **"Contact the others," another man ordered, "Request backup, this is beyond the barrier troops. I'll notify Ozpin."**

 **Ingendo had a solider on his knees, his hand was on his head with a small aura around both. The soldier was drooling not moving a muscle as Ingendo smiled.**

 **"No information about the maiden," Ingendo frowned and ripped out the man's soul. His body slumped over.**

 **"Where can I find the Fall Maiden?" Jigokudo held two fully grown men by their throats in each hand.**

 **One man cowered as paper birds began to envelop his skin, "Where is the Fall Maiden?" Summer asked as more birds formed her head.**

 **"This one doesn't know either," Jaune, who was now known as Tendo, withdrew his sword from a corpse.**

"Maidens?" Blake asked, "Like the fairy tale?"

"Indeed," Ozpin nodded gaining weary looks from the professors, "It appears in this world certain Fairy Tales are true."

 _Oh Ozpin,_ Cinder barely contained her laughter, _Hiding will get you no where, maybe THIS Jaune will lead me to the real one._

 **"Barrier Troop reporting sir," a solider entered Ozpin's office, "We detected a single intruder. But when we deployed to investigate, multiple simultaneous attacks were heard throughout the city."**

 **"Analysis Corps reporting," a different one entered, "Estimated strength is three battalions in size."**

 _ **A foe that can organize this much military power unnoticed by even James,**_ **Ozpin thought,** _ **It has to be...**_

 **"Sir," the barrier solider spoke again, "Witnesses claim it's the White Fang, but others report of Blonde assailants with Rabbit Hoodies."**

 **"Sound the emergency alarm," Ozpin finally spoke, "Then, recall Ms. Nikos!"**

"What?" Pyrrha stared at the screen.

The professors remained silent hoping to keep up their facade.

"Oh so you're a maiden!" Ruby childishly cooed, "Can you use magic just like they can?"

"Yes Pyrrha," Cinder watched her, "Can you?"

"What? No!" Pyrrha shook her head, "Fairy Tales aren't real, much less magic. Right professors? Uh...professors?"

 **Cardin Winchester, was running through the debris. Everyone rolled their eyes at the sight until they saw him lifting ruble looking for people. He found a certain bunny collapsed on the ground.**

"I don't like this," Coco was about to shoot the screen.

"If he lays a finger on her we'll break his bones," Blake glared.

Everyone agreed.

 **"Velvet," he slung her arm over his shoulder, "You alright?"**

"Wait what?" Velvet watched. Cardin didn't even care about her being a Faunus, he just wanted to know if she was ok.

"Guess deep down he does care about people," Ozpin smiled.

 **"Think a couple of ribs are broken," Velvet strained.**

 **"Where's your team?" Cardin began walking with her holding onto him.**

 **"Back at Beacon, I came out with some friends."**

 **"Alright, lets hope Beacon's infirmary isn't full. The hospital is out of rooms."**

 **As they were walking Tendo landed in front of them. Cardin did his best not to flinch or drop Velvet.**

 **"Tell me," Tendo's deep voice made Velvet shake, "Where is the Fall Maiden?"**

 **Cardin's infamous smile came out, "What did your mommy read you that? There's no such thing as maidens."**

 **"I see, then I have no use for you," Tendo was about to strike when Glynda grabbed his sword.**

"I can't tell if that was brave or stupid," Coco shook her head.

"He probably thought he was going to die," Velvet shrugged, "May as well have some fun with it."

"Hey!" Mercury threw popcorn at them, "Its about to get good!"

 **"Professor Goodwitch!" Both Velvet and Cardin gasped.**

 **"Take Ms. Scarlatina and go," Glynda ordered, "Head to Beacon."**

 **"Don't have to tell me twice!" Cardin picked up Velvet and began running.**

 **"You create a loud diversion so you can hunt from the shadows," Glynda never took her eyes off Tendo, "Now it's just the two of us."**

 **"Then I shall ask you instead," Tendo turned his attention immediately to Glynda, "Where is the Fall Maiden?"**

 **"What you're doing is totally pointless you know?" Glynda held her stern glare, "We'd never reveal her location to you."**

"Would Jaune really hurt Cardin?" Ruby asked, "I know he's a bully, but even he doesn't deserve death..."

"I..." Weiss thought for a moment, "Agree. Racist and a bully yes, but that should not warrant a death sentence."

"Just like you to defend your kind," Adam snarled.

"I am not my father!" Weiss screamed, "I was once, but I've changed."

"It's true Adam," Blake vouched, "When we first met, Weiss was just like her father. But she changed once she found out who I was. She's a better person now."

"Can we please save the melodrama for later?!" Mercury was losing his patience, "Seriously, the fight is about to start!"

 **After an intense moment of silence, Glynda broke Tendo's sword. Tendo leaned back and kicked, but Glynda ducked in time and used her crop to assemble a makeshift wall disabling Tendo's ability to turn and run.**

 **She summoned her aura to her hand and was about to strike Tendo's head. Only he rebuilt his sword and stabbed her in the shoulder knocking off her aim.**

 **"Ozpin's second in Command: Glynda Goodwitch," Tendo spoke as she pulled away from his blade, "I am honored to meet you, where is the Fall Maiden?"**

 **"That's a stupid question," Glynda tried again by summoning her aura in her palm.**

 **She charged in for the attack but an explosion blew her and her makeshift wall away.**

"Remind me never to piss her off," Qrow watched as Glynda attacked without a second thought.

"Yeah," the teachers said in unison causing a mischievous grin to appear on her face.

 **Winter stopped in her tracks when she saw the explosion.**

 **"Winter!" Weiss ran up to her, "Im coming with you!" Weiss left no room for argument.**

 **Winter nodded as her and her unit made for the explosion.**

 **"What the hell was that?" Glynda pushed some debris off of her, "It felt...different than a blast wave, but there's definitely a blast area with him at the epicenter." Glynda readied herself, "How about this?!" Another ball of aura materialized in her hand and a husky made of aura charged at Tendo. Another blast eradicated the husky.**

 **"So he can repel physical attacks and aura blasts?" Glynda analyzed the situation, "Impressive..."**

 **While Glynda began to strategize, Shirado landed behind her.**

 **"Another one?!" Glynda looked back to see the purple eyes.**

 **Shirado extended his arm again and launched several missiles, using the dust clouds Glynda jumped behind Shirado and attacked. Only he dodged.**

 **"What?! How did he dodge without even looking at me?" Glynda then looked at Tendo, "I see, their field of vision is linked together."**

"Is such a thing really possible?" Port watched his colleague fight with everything she had.

"It is if you use robots," James nodded, "Where several eyes are watching with one man receiving it all, but I never thought of it in humans."

 **Shirado's face began to twitch as it grew two more faces. The middle was smiling, the left was blank, and the right looked angry. He tore off his coat revealing six arms and a bladed tail.**

 **Tendo extended his arm and another mysterious force began to pull Glynda toward him.**

 **"So that's what he can do," Glynda used her semblance to wrap a chain to a nearby stone and around her wrist, "I can't fight him alone, I need to hold out so I can report back on what his abilities are."**

 **The force began to intensify as the chain began to dig into Glynda's flesh. It suddenly stopped, when Tendo looked up and jumped away.**

 **Two blue arms came crashing down on Shirado. One was of an enlarged Beowulf and the other was a gauntlet.**

 **"Professor Goodwitch!" Weiss immediately began binding her wounds.**

 **"One down," Winter and other soldiers gathered, "One to go."**

"Jaune has no chance against my sister," Weiss smiled.

"Ooo," Ruby cooed, "Does this mean we get to see her fight seriously?"

"The Schnee Sisters and Goodwitch vs Vomit Boy," Sarcasm dripping from Yang's tongue.

"Don't forget Mr. Arc just attacked all of Vale in a matter of seconds," Oobleck read off his notes, "While I have no doubt about Ms. Schee's fighting capabilities, don't think this version of Mr. Arc will go down easily."

 **Tendo charged forward.**

 **"Here he comes," Weiss finished with Glynda's arm.**

 **"Fire!" Winter ordered.**

 **As the soldiers fired and unknown sound was heard. The bullets seemed to stop in place.**

 **"Almighty Push," was all Tendo said as the same force Glynda had been fighting with came back.**

 _ **Now!**_ **Weiss shot icicles, but Tendo merely didged them.**

 **Glynda threw a smoke bomb, and Tendo used Almighty Push causing it to explode. Using the cover the three sat out of sight.**

 **"What was that?" Winter quickly checked Weiss.**

 **"It seems his ability is similar to that of Ms. Nikos," Glynda began, "With him at the epicenter, he can either pull objects to him, or push them away. But unlike Ms. Nikos where she can use it all the time, it seems there's a short interval of time between attacks."**

 **"Not to mention Pyrrha can only manipulate metal," Weiss added, "This guy seems he can do it to just about anything."**

 **"And the interval between attacks seems quite short," Winter finished.**

"Doctor Oobleck?" Blake asked, "Does a semblance like that even exist?"

"Well," Oobleck thought, "As Professor Port said: All semblances are unique, one is never the same as another. Just like Professor Goodwitch said: he's similar to but there are slight variations."

"There hasn't been one like this recorded," James finished, "But maybe before we developed the technology to record them, there maybe a possibility..."

 **Using a glyph from Winter, Glynda shortly teleported to Tendo. With a blade in hand, she came up from the ground and tried to strike. Just as she thought, Almighty Push blasted her back.**

 **"Impressive movements," Tendo walked toward Glynda, "And a wide variety of attacks. I need to kill you so you won't become a nuance to me later."**

 **The two blue fists where back as they attacked Tendo's sides.**

 **"Too slow," Tendo crossed his arms and used Almighty Push again. Only this time the two hands where holding on to something. A chain that wrapped around Tendo and grew tighter as the two were sent away.**

 **"Glynda Goodwitch," Tendo smiled,** _ **She had the two wrap this around me knowing I would cause my own capture.**_

 **Glynda charged her aura in her hand and charged. She met resistance which she expected, but the resistance came from Shirado? Shirado began to glow and convulse.**

 **Winter saw this and jumped in front of Weiss.**

"WINTER!" Weiss screamed when the screen exploded.

 **Once the fire and smoke settled, Glynda's lower body was trapped under a pile of rubble. She looked around to see Weiss and Winter on the ground.**

 **"It appears I've captured you," Tendo stood at the edge of the crater Shirado made.**

 **"Damn it," Glynda stared up at Tendo.**

 **"This time I'll make sure you die," Tendo had a nail float between his index and middle fingers, "But just to be absolutely safe, I'll keep my distance."**

 **Tendo sent the nail forward and Glynda's head recoiled back. Tendo looked at what remained of Shirado, then left.**

 **"Winter," Weiss twitched, "Professor Goodwitch?"**

 **Weiss crawled over Winter's body and began crying. She was shaking her wildly bawling.**

 **"C-Cry later Weiss," Weiss looked up and saw a piece of concrete blocking the nail, "If you can cry, then you can move. You must report his abilities to Ozpin so he can set up countermeasures."**

 **"But Professor," Weiss was startled, She never said her first name before.**

 **"Mourn later!" Glynda coughed up blood, "You must hurry."**

 **"But I can't," Weiss looked at Winter.**

 **"You can't let Winter's sacrifice be in vain!" Glynda yelled, "Go! NOW!"**

 **Weiss brought herself to her feet, "Right." Weiss then took off in the opposite direction.**

 **Glynda smiled as she looked at the sky, "Well...looks like this is it for me too. Ozpin, James, Qrow..."**

"Welcome to the dead peoples club," Ruby waved.

"It's not over," Glynda pointed at the screen.

 **"Is that you Professor?" A voice called out from the darkness.**

 **Glynda looked around and found a silhouette of a man by a fire. She smiled and sat on a rock next to him.**

 **"It's been a long time," a man in a simple black suit looked at her, "What's happened since I've been gone?"**

 **"It's a long story," Glynda sighed, "I'd rather take my time with it, Jack."**

Qrow, Ironwood, and Ozpin gasped. Glynda's hands were trembling. Port and Oobleck looked at Glynda with eyes like saucers.

"Who's this guy?" Mercury pointed at the screen.

"Shut up!" Glynda dropped her stern persona, "Nobody interrupt the movie!"

Everyone fell silent and watched.

Pyrrha knew, what was going on. Glynda clearly loved this man. But something happened before she could confess it.

 **"Who would've thought?" Jack laughed, "We'd die so young?"**

 **"Jack," Glynda stared at the fire, "I had always wanted to ask why you did it."**

 **A flash of black and white showed Pyrrha and another person inside two pods. Orange glow left one pod and went into Pyrrha's. Her screams nearly shattered the speakers, Jack stood there with an electric whip and he destroyed the machines, freeing Pyrrha.**

 **"Why you chose to abandon the mission to save her, and when you died the night Beacon Fell. It made me so bitter and angry. I drilled future students to always put the mission first. But you know what? I now know you were doing what you thought was right. You knew the consequences, and you chose your students over the mission. And I'm proud of you for it."**

Normal ears wouldn't be able to hear it. But a certain pair of cat ears heard a sniffle. Blake turned around and with her night vision she saw Glynda with her hand over her mouth and a torrent of tears running down her cheeks.

 **Ozpin's eyes shot open, he walked over to his window, and shattered it with his fist.**

 **"My apologies," Ozpin's hand shook.**

 **"Professor Ozpin!" Weiss entered the tower, "We encountered the enemy! He's in his late 20s, distinguishing features include six nose piercings, seven studs in each ear. His abilities simulate magnetism, he can pull targeted objects toward him and he repel both physical and aura based attacks."**

 **"He can repel all of them?" James rubbed his chin.**

 **"Yes," Weiss nodded, "But there's a five second interval between uses."**

 **"That's it?" Qrow drank, "Not much help, but you did well bringing this to us."**

 **"Indeed," James nodded, "Go to the CCT and relay what you told us to everyone in Vale."**

 **Weiss didn't respond as she exited the room. As she did Tendo now stood in the broken window frame. Qrow and James readied their weapons as Ozpin watched Tendo closely.**

 **"Six nose piercings," James examined him, "And seven studs in each ear, that's him alright."**

 **"It's been a long time Professor Ozpin," Tendo spoke, "You and I have something to discuss."**

" **Who or what are you?" James asked.**

" **A god who restores order," Tendo answered.**

" **Well he's not in his right mind," Qrow smirked.**

" **The Fall Maiden," Tendo demanded, "Where is she?"**

" **No one knows," Ozpin stood his ground.**

" **We now have Summer and Winter," Tendo explained, "So the balance of power between kingdoms, is no longer maintained by the Four Seasons. It's meaningless to continue harboring a Maiden now."**

" **So your target truly is the Fall Maiden after all," Ozpin pointed at him.**

" **The rise of conflicts are imminent," Tendo closed his eyes, "The kindling coals of war are smoldering everywhere, and we shall control those wars. If you cooperate with us, we would not be averse to helping you. From the state of this kingdom, you ought to have a sense of our strength by now."**

" **Don't underestimate the Four Headmasters," Ozpin snapped, "You are only terrorists seeking to destroy the peace that our predecessors strived so desperately to achieve and maintain. We will not heed to you."**

"How would a fairy tale uphold balance?" Nora asked.

"In the tale, the four maidens have unimaginable power," Pyrrha explained, "Having all four at once would truly be a sight to behold."

 _You have no idea,_ Cinder smirked, even with only half of the maiden's power she still had more than anyone in this school. _But we don't have the Summer or Winter maidens, do we? Are you hiding something from me mistress?_

" **Such arrogance," Tendo opened his eyes and flooded the room with aura.**

" **Such power!" Qrow strained as he covered his face.**

" **What is he?!" James struggled to stand, "I've never seen anything like this! I have a bad feeling about this."**

Everyone in their seats felt the power through the screen. Cinder watched in awe, she never felt that much power, even from Salem. Ozpin's grip on his cane tightened almost to where he thought he'd break it. Oobleck tried to take notes, but his hands were shaking from fear. Port shrunk in his seat, even with his bravado he couldn't measure up. Glynda grabbed Ozpin's arm, not to calm him, but to comfort her. Qrow wanted to drink but remembered he broke his flask a long time ago.

" **What you like to call peace," Tendo stared at them all, it felt as if he was talking to everyone in the theater too, "Has only brought violence down upon us all."**

" **I cannot say that everything the Kingdoms did in the past was just or correct," Ozpin gained his bearings, "But your actions here are unforgiveable."**

" **Be careful of what you say," Tendo warned, "This is your final warning from a god. Where is the Fall Maiden? SPEAK."**

" **We will pour every ounce of our power that we possess into bringing you down," Ozpin defied, "I have nothing more to say. Except that you're wrong about one thing: You've made a huge error. What you desire most, you shall never have."**

" **If you think the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Vale can successfully protect the Fall Maiden from me-"**

" **NO!" Ozpin interrupted, "The fall Maiden is stronger than you know."**

"Do you really believe that Oz?" Qrow whispered.

"With our champion," Ozpin thought it over, "I'd say yes."

 **Nora and Ren were busy escorting people to Beacon. Ningendo appeared right in front of them.**

 _ **How?!**_ **Ren jumped back,** _ **I couldn't even sense his aura!**_

 **He used a small explosive to separate the two. Once the dust cleared, Ningendo had Nora on her knees.**

" **Move and she dies," Ningendo spoke.**

" **NORA!" Ren screamed but did as he was commanded.**

 **Nora gasped, she could feel Ningendo peeling through her mind. All of her memories flashed before her. Kuroyuri, Beacon, Team JNPR, Pyrrha becoming the half of the Fall Maiden, her location under the school!**

 _Is that real?!_ Cinder watched intensely as Emerald and Mercury nearly gagged on their food.

Ozpin felt his cane snapping.

"Ozpin," Ironwood leaned.

"Not now James," Ozpin dismissed.

"This isn't good…" Qrow sank into his chair.

" **Interesting," Tendo blinked, "The Maiden's Power has been divided?"**

 **Grimm both known and unknown where crawling over the city. A Cerberus hound, a crustacean, a chameleon, a nevermore, and even a rhino?**

"Whoa," Ruby stared at the different kinds of Grimm.

"Professor Port," Yang turned around, "Have you seen these before?"

"My knowledge stops at the King Taijitu," Port answered, "These I only know of from Barty's theories and local legends. I've never seen these in person before!"

"Can _she_ make these?" Emerald asked Cinder.

"I don't know," Cinder kept her eyes on the screen, "Maybe she made them for him special?"

 **They began exploding? A white puff of smoke and the Grimm vanished.**

" **Are they retreating?" Sun asked.**

" **But they were winning," Neptune took off his goggles, "Something isn't right here…"**

" **Under the school," Tendo said with annoyance, "Under everyone's noses the entire time, such arrogance. Did you know Glynda Goodwitch thought of the students as her children? She was quite vocal about you forcing such a burden on one of her daughters. She was grateful when a courageous student stood up to you. But you had James rebuild the machine and do it again without her knowledge. I honestly can't tell which disgusts me more. Not to mention the power has been divided between Cinder Fall and Pyrrha Nikos. I have what I came here for, I will linger here no longer."**

" **How did you know?" Qrow asked.**

" **You…" Ozpin couldn't think of the words.**

"Do you really think of us that way Professor Goodwitch?" Ruby asked.

"You're under my protection for four years," Glynda nodded, "In those four years I will protect you with every fiber I have."

Ozping looked at Glynda, and she stared back. No words needed to be spoken. They knew what they meant.

" **Just one last thing," Tendo turned around, "The aura focused through your feet, is it to counter little old me? So, my ability has become known to you, has it? However, all is meaningless before overwhelming power. You, kingdoms proved that over the years. You all think of yourselves as the main forces of this world, and push death out of your thoughts. Lulled by peace, you become shallow. If you kill, you shall be killed. Hatred is what connects this cause and effect."**

"I like him," Raven sat next to Qrow.

"How?!" Qrow nearly jumped out of his skin, "When?!"

"I was curious as to where everyone went," Raven shrugged, "And I saw your car outside and snuck in, good thing too, I like this guy."

" **In battle both sides suffer death, injury, and pain."**

" **The Kingdoms have suffered our share of pain," Ozpin objected, "Enough excuses. You can't justify your actions!"**

" **How absurd," Tendo began levitating, "Feel pain. Contemplate pain. Accept pain. Know pain."**

" **Wait!" Ozpin ran after Tendo stopping at the window, "Get back here!"**

 **Tendo kept repeating his words.**

" **Those who do not understand pain will never understand true peace!" Tendo announced to the world.**

 **In the Emerald Forrest Chikushodo summoned the others and Summer.**

Raven nudged her brother and pointed at the screen. Qrow only nodded in response.

" **What's going on?" Summer asked.**

" **It is time," Chikushodo answered.**

" **What?!" Summer gasped.**

 **Tendo floated above the city of Vale, Ozpin was running through the streets.**

" **What are you doing?!" He demanded.**

" **You can't!" Summer objected, "Doing that will significantly shorten your life!" The four bodies collapsed around her, "The Power of the Gods, are you truly going to go through with it?"**

" **I will never forget the pain Amber suffered," Tendo looked down at the city, "And now…this world shall know pain…ALMIGHTY PUSH!"**

 **A blinding white light enveloped Tendo's body, once the words were spoken, the light expanded and flattened all of Vale. Only Beacon was left standing.**

Oobleck dropped his notebook as he watched the city crumble. Port was left speechless his jaw hanging open his eyes wider than saucers. Ozpin finally broke his cane. Glynda was motionless in her chair. Qrow drank what little he could from his flask. Raven had a smile on her face.

Ruby was crying watching her best friend murder a town full of people. Weiss was shocked her hand covering her mouth. Blake was terrified wondering if that could really happen. Yang's eyes were red her being so helpless.

Nora and Ren held each other trying to Calm the other. Pyrrha wanted to be shocked, but she was over taken by curiosity at her being the Fall Maiden. Coco held a crying Velvet trying not to cry herself. Adam, didn't know what to think. He wanted to agree with Tendo Jaune, but he just witnessed the murder of both human and Faunus alike.

Mercury was seriously doubting their plan at this point. As was Emerald, if they failed again, would Salem send those things against them? Cinder wanted to know if the Maiden was really under the school…


	7. (V) Remember my Family

**The screen showed a teenage girl sanding a piece of wood. When an older Jaune walked into the barn. This Jaune was more rugged, he had a beard, two scars going from the bottom of his jaw to his nose, and a black cowboy hat.**

"Cowboy Jaune now?" Weiss watched with a slight blush.

"Someone has a thing for bad boys," Yang teased.

"Oh quiet you!" Weiss' blush deepened.

 **"Hey Ember," Jaune walked over to her.**

 **"Hey pa," she looked back at Jaune.**

 **"Need a hand with that?"**

 **"No sir, I got it."**

 **"Looks like you have," Jaune looked over her shoulder and smiled, "You know you're real good with them tools."**

 _Oh and he talks like one too!_ Weiss practically melted.

 **"Thank you pa," Ember smiled.**

 **"You'll make this land real nice one day," Jaune sat on a barrel next to her, "Me and your mother will do our part. Hell, by the time your turn comes it'll be the nicest farm in the county."**

 **"Maybe pa," Ember watched him light a cigarette.**

 **"Just gotta learn to shoot straight or you'll be eaten by a Grimm."**

 **"Very funny pa," Ember smiled and rolled her eyes.**

 **"Thank you girl," Jaune smiled.**

 **"Soon it'll be quail season, we should have some fun then."**

 **"Is there anything you don't like shooting pa?" Ember put her hands on her hips.**

 **"Well I ain't met the thing yet," Jaune tilted his head, "But when I do I'll let you know. You can even put it in one of them books you're always reading."**

 **"Maybe I will," Ember laughed, "The Day Jaune Arc Stoped Shooting." There's a title for you."**

 **"I ain't no literary man," Jaune laughed, "But I don't think that'll sell, people like shooting."**

 **"I think you maybe right there pa," Ember returned to her work.**

"Duh," Ruby nodded, "Shootings fun!"

"Why does she look so familiar?" Mercury watched Ember work.

"What?" Emerald looked at him.

"Doesn't Ember look familiar to you?" Mercury pointed at the screen, "What about you Cinder?"

 _No,_ Cinder shook her head, _No fucking way..._

 **"Jaune!" Mercury shouted, "Jaune come here quick!"**

 **Jaune and Ember stepped out of the barn where Mercury handed him a telescope. Jaune closed it and looked at Ember.**

 **"Go inside and lock all the doors," Jaune ordered, "Whatever happens you stay inside you hear me? Whatever happens."**

 **"Okay," Ember slowly started walking.**

 **Jaune quickly gave her a hug, "Keep your mother in the house and stay inside. Promise me, Ember. Promise me!"**

 **"Who is it pa?" Ember asked.**

 **"Just some old friends," Jaune shook his head, "Me and Uncle will take care of it. Go inside and keep the doors and windows locked."**

 **"I hear you."**

 **"Then RUN!" Jaune pointed at the house.**

"Many times was he going to say that?" Sun asked.

"As many times as he needs to," Adam answered.

 **"Well Old Man," Jaune sighed, "Looks like things are about to be settled once and for all."**

 **"So it seems," Mercury nodded.**

"Old man?!" Mercury was offended.

Emerald snickered at him.

 **Atliesian soldiers came over the horizon firing at them. Jaune and Mercury took cover behind a tree and an old tractor. With both of their rifles they fought off the first wave.**

 **"Go inside!" Mercury shouted, "There'll be more coming!"**

 **Once the coast was clear, Jaune took off toward the house.**

 **"What are we gonna do now?" Cinder asked Jaune as he entered.**

 _Son of a bitch,_ Cinder leaned back in her chair.

Emerald, Mercury, and Adam looked at her with curious eyes. She said nothing, but her body language said she was pissed.

 **"What's wrong?" Ember came out of her room with her rifle, "What's happened?"**

 _Well then,_ Cinder smiled, _My...daughter...has some fight in her. This might be interesting._

 **"Stay inside ya hear?" Jaune went back outside. But Ember followed anyway.**

 **"What do they want?" Ember asked watching more soldiers on the ranch.**

 **"I don't know Ember," Jaune reloaded, "But whatever it is, it ends here."**

 **"Look how many there are," Ember loaded her rifle, "They're gonna kill us aren't they?"**

 **"No," Jaune was firm, "I ain't gonna let that happen."**

 **Jaune, Ember, and Mercury started shooting the men as they approached. Suddenly Mercury was shot, he gripped his wound and kept firing till he fell down. Jaune and Ember didn't let up, both kept firing till the men were dead.**

"Are we all going to die?" Mercury asked as he watched himself die.

"I'm going to assume yes," Ruby nodded remembering her own.

"Probably," Ozpin shook his head at his.

"What?" Raven asked Qrow.

"About half of us have died in these scenarios," Qrow shrugged, "Myself included."

" **Uncle!" Ember ran to Mercury when the fighting stopped, "Are you alright?"**

" **Hang in there Uncle!" Jaune yelled, "Imma get us out of here safe!"**

" **I'm hit," Mercury watched his blood pool under his shirt, "Ain't time Jaune, I ain't gonna make it off this porch anyhow. Take Ember and Cinder…take them…and prop me up on a chair. If I'm dying people are coming with me!"**

"I like this version of me," Mercury nodded with approval.

"He sounds just like you now," Emerald rolled her eyes.

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around," Cinder smirked.

" **We're leaving the farm," Jaune entered the house, "I'll watch from the silo. You two go to the barn and get the horses ready."**

" **Jaune," Cinder grabbed his arm.**

" **I'll meet you there," Jaune went back outside.**

 **Bullets started flying before they even got to the farm. On the nearby hilltop, there were more men shooting. Jaune and Ember returned fire as they slowly advanced into the barn.**

 **Once the men on the hilltop were dealt with, more came from the east. Jaune covered his family as they advanced, from the west Ember covered while Jaune reloaded.**

" **Ember," Jaune helped them on a horse, "Darling get on this horse, get out of here, and go find a place to hide."**

" **You're coming with us pa!" Ember ordered.**

" **I'll catch up," Jaune finished helping Cinder on the horse, "Keep riding and don't look back, and don't be worried about me you hear?"**

" **Stay out of trouble Jaune!" Cinder pouted.**

" **Ain't no trouble," Jaune pulled her into a kiss, "Ain't no trouble, I love you, now GIT!" Jaune slapped the horse and watched it take off.**

" **I love you!" was all he could hear.**

 _That was unexpected,_ Cinder's eyes widened, _Why, do I feel everyone is watching me?_

 **Jaune sighed and closed his eyes. He walked to the double doors and peaked outside.**

 **The barn was surrounded, men on foot and men on horseback, all of them had rifles pointed at the door.**

 **He sighed once again and looked down.**

 **He pushed the doors open and drew his pistol. He was able to shoot three men before everyone else started firing.**

 **His aura held as long as it could, but it wasn't infinite. Eventually bullets starting piercing his skin.**

Everyone, except Raven and Cinder, shed a tear.

" **Did you hear that?" Cinder spoke up, "Ember we have to go back for Jaune!"**

 **Ember turned the horse around and galloped back home. Once they passed through the gates, Cinder jumped off and started running. She found Jaune's lifeless body lying in a pool of his own blood. She shook his body as she cried not believing what she was seeing.**

 **After a while, Ember had to pull Cinder off of him. The rest of the day was spent digging a grave for Jaune. Under an old apple tree next to Mercury.**

 **The screen cut to black, only to immediately resume. This time with an older Ember, wearing Jaune's hat, standing over three graves.**

"Welcome to the club," Mercury patted Cinder's shoulder.

"My death was off screen?" Cinder scoffed.

"That's your biggest concern here?" Emerald questioned.

"Well we already established that we're all going to die at least once," Cinder shrugged, "I just figured we get to see it."

 **Ember mounted her horse and rode into town. She went to the train station where she met a man with a tired expression in a suit leaning on the railing.**

" **Excuse me," Ember politely tapped his shoulder, "You work for the government? Are you one of those agents?"**

" **Sure," he shrugged.**

" **I have a message for James Ironwood," Ember nodded.**

" **James Ironwood," he mustered up some enthusiasm, "Never knew him personally, but knew of him. Fine man if you wanted results, won himself a chest full of medals. I believe he retired about a year ago. Last I heard he and his wife settled up on the coast of Patch. Lucky guy, getting to take it easy. Beats fighting crime in this dump."**

" **Thank you for the information mister," Ember tipped her hat and rode off.**

"What do you think she's planning?" Yang asked.

"I think we all know what she's planning," Raven answered.

"Mom?!" Yang whipped her head back.

"Yep," Raven nodded, "Now watch the show. I wanna see what happens next."

"As do I," Cinder raised her hand, "It is my daughter after all."

 **It was good couple of hours before Ember finally made it to the coast. She walked along the coast before she found a tiny cabin about thirty feet from the beach. An elderly woman sat on the porch.**

" **Excuse me ma'am," Ember dismounted.**

" **Hello young woman," she politely nodded.**

" **Hi,"**

" **What are you doing all the way out here? Are you visiting the lake with your family?"**

" **No ma'am. I was looking to deliver a message to James Ironwood."**

" **Oh, that husband of mine. Damn bureau won't get their talons out of him even though he's retired. James gave them some of the best years of his life they outta let him retire in peace! They won't rest until they've killed him with worry and he's such a sensitive man. I'm sorry I shouldn't get so angry. I don't suppose this is your fault. There's no need to worry about him nowadays."**

" **Well, where is he?"**

" **He and his brother John went hunting on the south side of the river. Be careful crossing over, they said it was dangerous."**

" **I sure will ma'am, and don't worry about a thing. I'm sure your husband will be just fine."**

 **Ember walked on the porch and smiled at the elderly woman. That's when she headbutted her so hard it broke her nose. She picked her up and threw her through a window. As she crawled around helpless, a fireball spawned in Ember's hand, she tossed it into the cabin, and let screams fill the air.**

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Ruby covered her eyes.

 _Oh, so this is my daughter?!_ Cinder smiled, _I almost want this Jaune boy to see if he'll give me this perfect child!_

"Revenge," Raven coldly answered, "She's punishing anyone who killed her father."

"Well she's definitely your daughter," Mercury watched the cabin burn.

"I know," Cinder swooned, "Isn't she perfect?"

 **Another couple of hours riding and finally Ember met up with a man with some hanging carcasses he was skinning.**

" **Howdy mister," She tipped her hat, "How's the hunting?"**

" **Pretty good," he smiled, "Few rabbits, coyote, elk. Still looking for some trophies for the parlor."**

" **I got a message for James Ironwood. You know him? His wife told me he was down here."**

" **Course I know him he's my brother. He's gone further down for some duck hunting. Must be a pretty important message for you to come down all this way."**

" **Real important, I'll be on my way home after this."**

" **Best be off then, just don't get on his bad side. He's got a filthy temper."**

 **John sat back down and began taking his gun apart. Ember drew hers, and was about to shoot but had a better idea. She shot both his knees and kicked the gun parts away.**

 **John was screaming every curse he knew, while Ember coated him with bait. As the bait began to soak his clothing some coyotes came growling. John watched in fear as Ember slowly trotted off, smiling as the coyotes had a fresh dinner.**

As if Cinder's smile couldn't get any wider, _She's just perfect! Sadistic, without mercy, I want to have her so much right now!_

Mercury saw this smile and leaned away from Cinder as best he could.

"Why would you hunt rabbit?" Velvet clenched her ears.

"Don't worry," Coco rubbed her back, "Anyone tries hunting you and I'll fill them with holes."

"Are we just ignoring the fact that she just fed a man to the animals?" Blake deadpanned.

"Doing the best we can," Yang nodded with everyone agreeing.

 **Ember finally found him.**

" **Excuse me," she dismounted, "Are you James Ironwood?"**

" **Do I know you?" James squinted at Ember.**

" **Forgive me for startling you sir, I have a message for you: My name is Ember ARC," she made sure to emphasize the last name, "You knew my father."**

" **I see…" James chuckled, "I remember your father."**

" **I've come for you Ironwood," Ember glared.**

 **James chuckled again, "And you girl, have sure as shit found me."**

" **You killed my father!"**

" **Your father killed himself with the life he lived."**

" **You killed him, I saw you!"**

" **You keep saying that."**

" **You sent him to do your dirty work, then you shot him like a dog!"**

" **And I'll shoot you like one too you little piece of shit! Now get out of here before I kill you as well!"**

Cinder glared and was ready to roast Ironwood alive.

" **I ain't going nowhere old man!"**

 **Ember and Ironwood held their hands over their pistols. Ember made a fist then shook her hand. Ironwood kept a close eye on her. But a close eye didn't help, before he knew it, she had her revolver out, hammer cocked, and she fired one between his eyes.**

 **Ember watched Ironwood's body roll into the river. She holstered her pistol and went back to her horse. The screen blacked out as Ember rode away.**

 _I must have this perfect child!_ Cinder screamed in her mind.

"Well now I know how it feels too," James shuddered.

"SO," Yang threw her hands in the air, "Did we learn anything from this?"

"Revenge is awesome?!" Cinder squealed.

"No!" Everyone responded.

Cinder pouted.


	8. (VI) Last Day on Earth

**"Now I have a question for you, what would you do in say a Post-Apocalyptic Scenario? Would you go right where no one is left? Or left where no one is right?"**

"Forward," Cinder answered while the guests took their seats, "Forge a path of my own."

" **Interesting answer," he shrugged and left the stage.**

"What do you think Jaune's answer would be?" Ruby asked as the theater went dark.

"Left?" Nora shrugged, "People may not be right, but they're still people. I hate being alone."

"Professor?" Glynda looked at Ozpin.

"I agree with Ms. Valkyrie," He nodded, "There's also the chance to put them back on the right path."

" **Blake," Ruby grabbed a stretcher holing a deathly sickly Weiss, "You have night vision, you take point."**

" **On it," Blake grabbed the end with her feet.**

" **Yang," Ruby started walking, "You, and NPR take the sides and cover us."**

" **You got it," Nora saluted and moved with them.**

"Taking orders from a human," Adam snarled, "To help a Schnee? How far have you fallen Blake?"

"I haven't," Blake defended herself, "I'm helping a friend get help."

" **Guys," Weiss winced, "Let me walk it."**

" **Yeah," Yang nodded, "As if I'm gonna let you do that."**

 **Ren struck down a creep as they walked when he stopped. Everyone stopped with him as they listened. When they finally heard whistling? Only the whistling was getting louder, coming closer.**

" **Go," Ruby ordered, "GO!"**

"What's that?" Weiss frantically watched, "Why am I being carried? What's with the whistling?"

"Calm down," Neptune took her hand, "It'll be alright."

Weiss squeezed his hand, but it didn't make her feel any less bad.

 **The group ran trying to get away from the whistling, Blake used her cat ears to find the path of least whistling. Once the whistling had stopped they slowed down in a clearing only for a light to blind them. And the whistling to resume all around them.**

 **They were outnumbered, out gunned, and one of their teammates was down for the count.**

 **Everybody looked around trying to find an exit. But everywhere they looked all they saw where White Fang members blocking their view. Ruby looked over and Saw Velvet bloody, beaten, and on her knees.**

" **You made it," A familiar voice stepped out of the shadows revealing Roman, "Welcome to where you're going. We'll take your weapons," he pointed his gun at them.**

" **We can talk about-" Ruby began.**

" **We're done talking Red," Roman spoke, "Time to listen." He signaled and the White Fang disarmed them. "Alright," he nodded, "Let's get her down and get you all down on your knees. Lot's to cover."**

" **Wait," Blake glared, "We'll take her."**

" **Sure," Roman called off the soldiers.**

 **Ruby and Blake helped Weiss off the stretcher and onto the ground. Once she was put in the light her condition was much worse. Her skin was pale, eyes had sunken, her clothes were drenched in sweat, but was most surprising was her little baby bump.**

"Oh Weiss," Yang elbowed, "Is Neptune the daddy here?"

"S-Shut up!" Weiss blushed, not admitting that's what she was hoping was the case.

"Somethings never change," Blake pointed at Roman ordering them around.

 **One solider rather roughly picked Velvet up and dropped her with the others.**

" **Gonna need you on your knees," Roman stared down Ruby.**

 **Ruby looked at the others then the White Fang surrounding them, she grit her teeth before finally kneeling. He snapped his fingers twice and an a van's doors opened up. Neptune, Sun, Adam, and Coco where thrown in front of them.**

" **Weiss?" Neptune was horrified, he tried to crawl to her but he was restrained by a White Fang Solider.**

" **Well alright, we got a full house! Let's meet the man." Roman knocked on the door to an RV.**

 **The door swings open and out steps…**

"JAUNE?" Everybody was shocked.

Except for Weiss, she was connecting the dots on why Neptune was so worried about her and the baby bump. She was giggling and blushing to where she'd almost missed Jaune come on screen.

 **Dressed in his Pumpkin Pete hoodie, tattered blue jeans, and slung over his shoulder was a baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire, "We pissing our pants yet?" He stepped into the light revealing himself to be a little older, and the beginning of a beard, "Boy do I have a feeling we're getting close. Yep. It's gonna be pee-pee pants city here real soon. Which one of you pussies is the leader?"**

" **That'd be little Red," Roman pointed.**

"He doesn't know us in this universe?" Ruby was disappointed, "Right now I can't tell if that's good or bad."

"Judging from the tone," Glynda fixed her glasses, "I'm going to say no. Because he won't feel remotely bad for what he might do next."

"Why am I with the humans?" Adam asked.

"Maybe you finally pulled the stick out of your ass," Mercury smirked.

" **Hi," Jaune looked down at Ruby, "You're Ruby, right? I'm Jaune. And I do not appreciate you killing my men."**

"He's with the White Fang?" Adam was appalled.

"So, is Roman, does one more human make a difference?" Emerald looked over to him.

" **Also," Jaune tapped his chin, "When I sent my people to kill your people for killing my people. YOU killed more of my people! Not cool, not fucking cool. You have no fucking idea how not fucking cool that shit is. But I think you're going to be up to speed here real shortly. Yeah, you are so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes. Fuck yeah you are. You see Ruby, whatever you do, no matter fucking what, you do not mess with the new world order, and the new world order is this. And it is really very simple, even if you're fucking stupid, which you very well maybe, you can understand it. Now I know that is a mighty big nasty pill for you to swallow. But swallow it you most certainly motherfucking will. You ruled the roost, you built something, you thought you were safe. I get it. But the word is out, you are not safe, not even fucking close. In fact: you are fucked! More fucked if you don't give me what I want, and what I want is half your shit. If that's too much then you can make, find, or steal more. And it'll even out sooner or later. This is your way of life now. The more you fight back the harder it will be. So, if someone comes knocking on your door. You fucking let us in we own that fucking door! You try to fucking stop us. We will fucking knock that fucker down. You understand?"**

"This Jaune is an asshole," Yang crossed her arms as her eyes flashed red.

"Ms. Xio Long!" Glynda scolded again.

"Why does he swear so much?" Ruby had to cover her ears for half the speech.

"Needs to get his point across," Adam shrugged.

 **Jaune put his hand over his ear and leaned toward Ruby, "What? No answer? You don't really think that you were going to get through this without being punished, do you? I don't want kill you people, I wanna make that clear from the get go. I want you to work for me, and you can't do that if you're fucking dead, now can you? I'm not growing a garden. But you killed my people, a whole fucking damn shit load of them. More than I'm comfortable with and for that you gotta fucking pay. So now, I am gonna beat the holy fuck fucking fuckidy fuck out of one of you."**

"J-Jaune wouldn't really hurt us right Ren?" Nora curled into his arms.

"No way," Sun nervously laughed, "He's way too nice of a guy to do that."

"This isn't our Jaune," Ren regrettably admitted, "I have no idea what's this one is capable of…"

" **Jeeeesus," Jaune looked at Weiss, "You look fucking shitty. I should just put you out of your misery right now."**

" **NO!" Neptune screamed as he jumped up.**

" **STOP IT!" Weiss cried as White Fang members began to kick and beat him.**

" **Nope," Jaune looked back at Neptune, "Get him back in line." The White Fang put him back in place.**

Weiss was squeezing Neptune's hand like a child holding on to their blanket. She loved that he jumped to save her, but she was mortified at the result.

"Protecting your loved one, that's admirable, even if it was completely stupid." Adam watched.

" **Don't," Neptune pleaded while Jaune laughed at him.**

" **Alright listen," He moved away from Weiss, "Don't any of you, do that again. I will shut that shit down, no exceptions. First one is free, emotional moment, I get it." Jaune looks back at Ruby, "Sucks, don't it? The moment you realize you don't know shit?" He points his bat at Yang, "This is your sister, right? Yeah that's definitely your sister."**

" **Just stop this!" Ruby yelled.**

" **Hey!" Jaune's voice boomed, "Do not make me kill the future serial killer. Don't make it easy for me! I gotta pick somebody, everybody's at the table wait for me to order." Jaune started whistling, "I simply cannot decide." Jaune started laughing again. "I got an idea!"**

 **He put the bat up to Ruby, "Eenie…"**

"No way…" Ironwood gasped, "He's making a game out of this?"

"It would appear so," Ozpin watched his students on their knees.

"Demented psychopath," Glynda dug her fingers into her chair.

"Whoa there," Qrow looked over, "Never thought I'd hear you slip up."

"He's a threat to my students," Glynda was practically growling, "I feel so damn useless sitting here."

"He's right though," Raven thought it over, "The stronger ones live."

 **Weiss, "Meenie…"**

 **Adam, "Miney…"**

 **Coco, "Mo…"**

 **Neptune, "Catch…"**

 **Sun, "A tiger…"**

 **Blake, "By his toe…"**

 **Ren, "If he hollars…"**

 **Nora, "Let him go…"**

 **Pyrrha, "My mother…"**

 **Yang, "Told me…"**

" **To pick…the very…best…one…and…you…are…it."**

 **Jaune landed on Adam. Blake began crying as Adam sat up straight and signed: "I love you." To her when he was chosen.**

"You and Adam?" Yang pointed to the two of them.

"One time," Blake shook her head, "A different time, when he was a different person."

" **Anybody moves, anybody says anything cut one of Ruby's eyes out and feed it to her sister, and then we'll start." Jaune looked down at Adam, "You can breathe, you can blink, you can cry. Hell, you're gonna be doing that."**

 **A thunderous clap echoed throughout the theater along with screams both onscreen and off.**

" **Look at that!" Jaune watched Adam slowly drag himself up, "Taking it like a champ!"**

"H-He's enjoying this…" Pyrrha was horrified that her love was having fun killing someone."

"Even after everything you've done," Blake admitted, "Death isn't what I'd wish upon you…"

"Do you think we could recruit this Jaune?" Mercury whispered to Cinder.

"No," Cinder shook her head, "He's too unstable."

" **Suck…my…nuts," Adam strained to say as blood ran down his face from the open wound on his head.**

 **Jaune struck again, the same thunderous clap echoed. Only this time Adam stayed down. Blow after blow Jaune raised his bat and brought it down. Blood began to pool and cover the bat before he stopped.**

" **Did you hear that?" Jaune was laughing hysterically, "He said: "Suck my nuts!" He laughed again before striking the dead body again. Fifteen was the total amount of times Jaune struck Adam's skull. By the time he was done his head was ground chuck.**

" **Oh, my goodness!" Jaune twirled the bat spraying Ruby with blood, "Look at this! You guys, look at my dirty girl!" Jaune looked at Blake who was staring at the headless corpse that was once her fiancé.**

" **Sweetheart," Jaune put the bat next to her face, "Lay your eyes on this." Blake was comatose as she stared at the body, "Oh damn." It finally clicked in Jaune's head, "Were you together? That sucks, but if you were you should know there was a reason for all this. Bull, he just took one or seven or fifteen for the team! So, take…a damn look."**

 **Blake was bawling.**

" **Take a damn look!" Sun leapt up and hit Jaune with a right hook.**

"Wow Sun," Neptune looked at his partner, "I've never seen you angry before."

"Dude's being a dick," Sun pointed at the screen, "Sure Adam was an asshole-"

"Hey!"

"But come on, you don't kick someone when they're down."

 **Jaune laughed the punch off as the White Fang jumped Sun.**

" **Sun!" Ruby yelled.**

" **NO!" Jaune pointed his bat at Ruby, "Oh, no. That…!" He knelt next to Sun, "That? Oh, my! That…is a no-no. The whole thing, not one bit of that shit flies around here!"**

" **Shall I do it sir?" one White Fang pointed his gun at Sun's head.**

" **No," Jaune pulled Sun's hair back revealing his face, "No you don't kill that, not till you try a little."**

 **The White Fang put Sun back in line.**

" **Anyway…" Jaune stood up, "That's not how this works. Now I already told you people: first one's free, then what did I say? I said: I would shut that shit down! No exceptions. Now, I don't know what kind of lying assholes you've been dealing with. But I'm a man of my word, first impressions are important, I need you to know me. So…back to it!"**

 **Jaune brought down the bat on Neptune.**

"NO!" Sun and Weiss screamed.

 **Sun's mouth opened and closed trying to find a response.**

" **NEPTUNE!" Weiss cried.**

 **Neptune was groaning and gasping as he lifted his head up. Half his face was covered in blood and his left eye almost left his skull.**

" **Buddy you still there?" Jaune leaned over and tried to decipher Neptune's groans, "I just don't know, it seems like you're trying to speak, but you just took one hell of a hit! I just popped your skull so hard your eyeball just popped out! And it is gross as shit!**

" **W-Weiss," Neptune finally spoke, "D-Don't cry Weiss."**

"Too late," Weiss and Sun were curled in Neptune's chest.

"Her I understand but you?" Neptune looked at Sun.

"My best friend was just murdered shut up."

" **Oh," Jaune looked at Weiss, "Oh, hell. I can see this is hard on you guys. I am sorry. I truly am. But I did say it. NO EXCEPTIONS."**

 **Jaune swung knocking Neptune to the ground. As each blow landed, the scene changed to everyone watching. Sun was flinching at every blow, Blake was still crying, Weiss couldn't keep her promise and started too, Coco glared at the fact she was useless, Velvet covered her eyes, Ren and Nora tried to look away, Yang's eyes were red, Ruby watched in silent horror.**

 **"You bunch of pussies," Jaune kept swinging, "I'm just getting started. My baby is thirsty! She is a vampire bat!"**

Everyone looked at Yang, that was fuming with anger, at the sight. Not even a pun could calm her down.

 **Ruby had no idea when it turned into Day as she focused on Adam and Neptune's corpses.**

 **"You wanna know what all that was about?" Jaune asked, "Its about the way you look at me. I wanted to change that. I want you to understand."**

 **Ruby glared at Jaune.**

 **"But you still keep looking at me like I just shit in your scrambled eggs!" Jaune pointed, "That's not gonna work, so I have a question, do I give you another chance?"**

 **"Yes," Ruby managed to spit out.**

 **"Alright!" Jaune smiled, "Here it is, the grand prize game! What you do next will decide if this'll be everyone's LAST crap day or just another crap day. Get some iron to their heads."**

 **The white Fang then put guns to everyone's head.**

 **"Get it about nose level so when you fire," Jaune make an explosion with his mouth, "It'll make a BIG mess! Yellow," he pointed at Yang, "Over here."**

 **Yang stiffly walked over. Jaune took off his belt, but thankfully he was tying it around Yang's upper arm.**

 **"That hurt?" He asked.**

 **"No," Yang's eyes were still red.**

 **"It should," he smiled as he finished, "Get on the ground next to sissy. Spread them wings! Roman, you got a pen?"**

 **Roman tossed a marker to him.**

 **Jaune drew a line across Yang's arm.**

 **"Please," Ruby could connect the dots, "Please don't."**

 **"Me?" Jaune chuckled, "I ain't doing shit. Ruby, I want you to cut your sister's arm off right on that line. Now I know that's something you gotta process, but still I'm gonna need you to do it. Or ALL these people are gonna die. Then the people back home die, then Yang dies, but not you. Imma keep you alive a few years just so you can live with it."**

 **"Y-You don't have to do this!" Pyrrha spoke up, "We understand! We understand!"**

 **"YOU understand," Jaune nodded, "I'm not sure that RUBY does. I'm gonna need a clean cut right in that line. Now, I know this is a screwed up thing for me to ask, buts it's gonna have to be like a salami slice...nothing messy, clean, 45degrees...give us something to fold over. We got a great doctor, she'll be fine. Maybe."**

 **Ruby didn't answer, she looked at everyone with shock in her eyes.**

 **"Ruby," Jaune kneeled next to her, "This needs to happen now, chop, chop...or I'll crush her skull myself."**

 **"It can," Ruby begged, "It can be me. It can be me. You could do it to me. I can go with you." Ruby thought of anything to get her sister safe, she was starting to cry.**

 **"No," Jaune stood up, "This is the only way. Ruby, pick up the axe. Not making a decision is a BIG decision. You really wanna see all these people die? You will, I'll make sure you see every ugly thing. Oh my god, are you gonna make me count? Ok, Ruby, you win I am counting...THREE!"**

 **"Please!" Ruby bawled, "It can be me please!"**

 **"TWO!" Jaune kneeled to her again.**

 **"Don't do this-" Ruby continued but was slapped by Jaune.**

 **"This is it," he held her chin.**

 **Ruby's crying grew louder as she grabbed Yang's hand. Yang gripped it and smiled.**

 **"Ruby," she whispered, "Just do it."**

 **Ruby raised the axe up and was about to bring it down when Jaune whispered her name. Ruby stopped and stared at him.**

 **"You answer to me," Jaune took the axe away from her, "Your provide for me. You belong to me. Right?"**

 **Ruby furiously nodded still crying from before.**

 **"SPEAK WHEN YOU'RE SPOKEN TO!" Jaune held her chin, "YOU ANSWER TO ME."**

 **Ruby parroted, "I answer to you."**

 **"YOU PROVIDE FOR ME."**

 **"I provide for you."**

 **"YOU BELONG TO ME, RIGHT?!"**

 **"I belong to you."**

 **"THAT!" Jaune let her go, "Is the look I wanted to see. We did it...all of us...together...even the dead guys on the ground. Hell, they get the spirit award for sure! Today was a productive damn day! Now I hope, for all your sakes...that you get it now...that you understand how things work. Things have changed...whatever you had going for you...that is over now. Roman, load him up."**

 **Everyone watched as they loaded Sun in the back of a truck.**

 **"He's got guts," Jaune knelt again, "Not a little Bitch like someone I know. I like him, he's mine now. You still wanna try something, 'Not today, not tomorrow' I will cut pieces off of..." Jaune stared at the truck, "The fuck's his name?"**

 **"Sun," Roman nodded.**

 **"Wow," Jaune laughed, "That actually sounds right! I will cut pieces off of Sun and mail them to your door, better yet I'll make you do it for me." Jaune patted Ruby's back as he stood, "Welcome to a brand new beginning you sorry shits! I'll leave you a truck, use it to cart all the crap you're gonna find me. We'll be back for our fist offering in a week, till then ta-ta!"**

Ruby threw up, no idea where the trash can came from, but she made full use of it. Weiss and Neptune did the same, Blake was conflicted she wanted Adam out of her life, but she didn't want him dead. Yang was furious being helpless as her friends die, while watching her friend be the murderer.

NPR were speechless, we all have the capacity to commit great good or great evil, but they never imagined their leader committing great evil.

Cinder was rather amused, she had enjoyed the darker sides of Jaune. She wondered if the real Jaune could somehow turn into one of them. Emerald was getting pretty scared, she didn't want this Jaune anywhere near her. Mercury wanted to work with this one.

 **The scene changed to Ruby and Pyrrha in bed together.**

"That's different," Mercury rubbed his eyes.

"Why P-Money," Yang finally calmed down, "I didn't know you swung that way."

 _This is better than Ninjas of Love,_ Blake held back a nosebleed

"I don't know how to respond to this," Ruby and Pyrrha stared at each other.

 **The sound of a truck honking woke them up. Ruby walked over to the window and saw a caravan waiting at the gate.**

 **Jaune whistled a tune as he hit the metal with his bat.**

" **Little pig," He announced, "Little pig, let me in!"**

 **Mercury pulled back the first gate and just stared at Jaune through the bars.**

" **Well?" Jaune shrugged.**

" **Who are you?" Mercury shrugged back.**

" **Oh, you better be joking!" Jaune laughed, "Jaune? My baby? I know I must have made a hell of a first impression."**

 **Ruby walked up to the gate and glared at Jaune.**

" **Well hello there," Jaune smiled, "Do not make me have to ask."**

" **You said a week," Ruby opened the gate, "You're early."**

" **I missed you," Jaune smirked.**

 **A Beowulf growled as it approached the two. Jaune looked at it then back to Ruby.**

" **Oh Ruby, come on out here, CALLING IT!" Jaune swung and killed it with his baby, "Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Alright everybody! Let's get started."**

 **Ruby looked over the White Fang soldiers waiting for Jaune's orders. Finally, she found Sun on a leash. He was shaking, looked a little malnourished, and was dirtier than before.**

" **Hey Ruby," Jaune knocking her out of her trance, "See what I just did there? THAT is some service! I mean, we almost get turned away at the gate. 'Who is this guy?' Do I get mad? Do I throw a fit? Do I bash some bull's head in? NOPE I just took care of one these wolves that could've killed some of you. Service. Hold this."**

 **Jaune gave Ruby his baby as he stepped into the community.**

" **Hot diggity dog!" Jaune looked over the community, "This place is magnificent! An embarrassment of riches as they say. Yes, ma'am, I do believe you are gonna have plenty to offer up."**

" **Sun," Ruby walked over to him.**

" **No," Jaune said sternly, "Nope. He's the help. You don't look at him, you don't talk to him, and I don't make you cut anything off of him. That goes for everyone. Alright, let's get this show on the road, let's see what goodies you got in the cuboard."**

" **We laid out half the supplies for you-"**

" **Nope," Jaune cut Ruby off, "YOU don't decide what we take, I do."**

"I like this boy," Raven approved, "He's not afraid to take what's his."

"Why am I not surprised you like the demented psychopath?" Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How could you possibly like him?!" Glynda was appalled.

"The strong survive Goodwitch," Raven retorted, "The weak will submit, just look the silver one sees it."

Everyone turned back to the screen with Jaune and Mercury.

" **I could never do this with Ruby," Jaune watched Mercury set up the balls, "She'd just be sitting there scowling, giving me that annoying side-eye she gives me."**

" **That's actually what I came to see you about," Mercury finished, "I wanted to talk to you about Ruby."**

" **Alright," Jaune stared the game, "Talk to me about Ruby."**

" **I get what you're trying to do here," Mercury watched Jaune play, "What you're trying to build. I'm not saying I agree with your methods, but I get it. You're building a network. You're making people contribute for the greater good. It makes sense. But you should know that Ruby has a history of not working well with others."**

" **Is that so?" Jaune seemed more interested in the game rather than Mercury.**

" **Ruby wasn't the original leader here," Mercury took his turn, "A close friend of mine was. She was doing a really go job of it. Then she died not long after Ruby showed up…"**

" **So," Jaune shrugged, "Everything was peachy here for what years? Then Ruby shows up and suddenly you're an orphan. That is the saddest story I've ever heard. Good thing she's not in charge anymore."**

" **Doesn't matter," Mercury shook his head, "Her ego's put of control. She'll find a way to screw things up, to try and do things his way, to take over. That's what she did with Cinder, and that's what he'll do now."**

" **So, what exactly are you proposing be done about this?" Jaune asked waiting for his turn.**

" **I was here since the beginning," Mercury smiled, "I can be the leader Cinder was. That's what this place needs, that's what you need."**

" **So, I should put you in charge is that what you're saying?" Jaune took a drink.**

" **We'd be much better off," Mercury smiled.**

" **You know," Jaune put his glass down, "I'm thinking Mercury. I'm thinking how Ruby threatened to kill me, how she clearly hates my guts. But she is out there right now doing what I say so I don't hurt any of the fine people that live here. She is swallowing her hate and getting shit done. That takes guts. Then there's you, the man who waited for Ruby to be gone, so he can sneak over and talk to me to get me to do his dirty work, so he could take Ruby's place. So, I gotta ask: If you wanna take over, why not just kill Ruby yourself and just take over?"**

" **What?" Mercury stuttered, "No, no, no, I didn't…I don't…"**

" **You know what I'm thinking?" Jaune stepped closer to Mercury, "Because I have a guess. It's because you got no guts!"**

 **In a split second a knife entered Mercury's stomach. Everyone watched in horror as Jaune twisted the knife and tore it sideways out of Mercury.**

" **How embarrassing," Jaune laughed as Mercury tried to keep his insides inside, "There they are. They were inside you the whole time. You did have guts! I've never been so wrong in my whole life!"**

"And he discards the useless ones," Raven applauded.

"Ok," Qrow rubbed his temples, "Getting rid of that snake was one good thing. ONE."

"UNCLE QROW!" Ruby snapped.

"Ruby he was trying to get you killed," Qrow pointed at the screen, "At least Jaune was upfront and told you the situation. This asshole was undermining your authority and trying to kill you."

"Admittedly," Weiss spoke, "He is correct. Jaune is not perfect, but Mercury tried to kill you and would probably have gotten the others killed too."

 **Using the hysteria Blake, snuck onto one of the White Fang's trucks. As she searched the back she found one of the rifles they confiscated. She waited, and waited, until finally she stopped.**

 **With her night vision, she jumped out of the truck. Checking her corners, she was alone. There was a chain link fence surrounding the main building, she cut a hole in the fence, and infiltrated the building.**

"A petty revenge mission?" Raven scoffed, "Are you really that moronic?"

"He killed my friends," Blake snapped, "He's a threat to everyone."

"He's got an army," Raven listed, "More guns, and most likely more supplies than a kingdom."

"Either way," Blake shrugged, "He has to die."

 **The cell door opened nearly blinding a tied-up Blake as she sat herself up.**

" **Hey there," A White Fang grunt nodded, "You doing ok?"**

" **Can I have some water?" Blake's throat was dry.**

" **I should introduce myself," he kneeled in front of her, "My name's David. I don't know if you remember me from last night, do you?"**

" **No," Blake responded.**

" **Well, I can forgive that last night was kind of a shit storm. I was the guy that gave the other guys the rope that tied you up. I always keep some close, there's always some fun and interesting thing you can do with rope."**

 **David trailed his hand up Blake's sleeve.**

" **You're really pretty," David looked behind him, "If I give you some water, which is not something I'm supposed to do, will you do something for me? Something you're not supposed to do?"**

 **David ripped Blake's shirt revealing her black sports bra.**

" **Tell me how thirsty you are," he whispered in her ear.**

" **Go to hell," she whispered back and headbutted him.**

" **Oh, shit!" David stood up, "Fighting's only gonna make it last longer, for the record is fine by me!"**

" **DAVID!" Jaune hit the metal door with his baby, "What the hell are you doing in here?"**

" **Jaune sir…" David began.**

" **You really think I need you to answer that?" Jaune cut him off, "I can see that you're trying to rape this woman. You were trying to rape this woman, weren't you? This is some unacceptable behavior, rape is against the rules here, I wouldn't want to be somewhere where it wasn't. Someone in charge who let's something like that fly?" Jaune started laughing as he pulled the knife he used to gut Mercury.**

 **David stared at the blade and started whimpering.**

" **David," Jaune shook his head, "You really crossed the line here."**

" **I'm sorry sir," David cried.**

 **Jaune lowered his blade, only to immediately stab David in the throat.**

" **You know what?" Jaune looked into his dying eyes, "I do not accept your apology."**

 **Blake watched Jaune removed the blade and watched the limp body drop. Jaune whistled and another White Fang came to the door.**

" **Get uh…" Jaune pointed at Blake.**

" **Blake," she spoke.**

" **That is a beautiful name," Jaune turned back to the White Fang, "Get Blake here a new shirt. Sorry you had to see that, sorry about the rope too." Jaune cut her free, "Probably overkill, but you did cause one hell of a ruckus last night. Oh shit! I remember you! Yeah, you were there! Oh hell, I get it now, I gotta had it to you. You got some beach ball-sized lady nuts on you coming in all kamikaze like that. Big question here, and I need the truth on this one, did Ruby put you up to this?"**

 **Blake scoffed, "You're bitch? No, she didn't."**

" **This doesn't have to be the end," Jaune nodded, "In fact, this can be the beginning." Jaune laid his knife before Blake, "This knife is yours now. You can try to use it and take me out, but seeing as how I'm standing above you holding a baseball bat, doesn't seem too smart. You can slit your wrists which would be a damn shame, but again, I get it. You're not exactly on the shiny side of the street given recent events. Now you can sit there and do nothing slowly starve to death, which is kinda nuts but to each their own. Or you could use that blade for us, and join the cause. I'd know what I'd do."**

" **What?" Blake glared.**

" **I'm a man short," Jaune shrugged, "Well can't really call this piece of shit a man, but still I'm short and you got those beach ball-sized lady nuts, and wanna harness the heat coming off of them. You can help me run this place one day. All of us together, following the rules working on the same side of things. That's all this was ever about, and it still can be for you. I know it's hard to picture considering what I did. But Blake, we all got shit to get over. Take some time think about, whatever you decide so it shall be. Again, I'm sorry you had to see that. Even though I know you've seen somethings, I just want you to know: we are not monsters."**

" **Jaune closed the door letting darkness envelope the screen.**

"WHAT?!" Everyone screamed.

"That's how you end it?!" Blake threw a book at the screen.

"Damn Blakey," Yang put a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down…"

"I refuse to be saved by that animal!" she cursed, "I want to know what happens next!"


	9. (I-II) Check Yes Weiss

"Ugh," Weiss groaned, "A Jaune that can destroy a kingdom, a renegade cowboy, and sociopath. Can we please get back to normal now?"

"Or at least a musical," Ruby couldn't get the murderous Jaune out of her mind fast enough."

 **The screen showed Pyrrha start playing a guitar.**

"Whew!" Ruby sighed.

"Music?" Raven stared at Qrow.

"So," Qrow began, "Apparently there's these music videos that transition us from light to dark. It's weird but if it means getting away from whatever the hell that was, I'm all for it."

 **Jaune was standing outside a mansion throwing rocks at a window.**

"Hey!" Weiss pointed.

"Is that your house?" Yang asked.

"Yeah," Weiss nodded, "Oh is it my turn?"

 **Jaune began singing:**

" **Check yes Juliet, Are you with me**

 **Rain is falling down on the sidewalk**

 **I won't go until you come outside."**

"Guess that's a yes," Ruby was swinging her hair with the rhythm.

"Does the Ice-Queen have a thing for bad boys?" Yang teased.

"What?!" Weiss blushed, "No! Quiet you!"

"Have you ever snuck out before?" Coco lowered her glasses.

"No…" Weiss didn't face the fashionista.

" **Check yes Juliet, Kill the limbo**

 **I'll keep tossing rocks at your window**

 **There's no turning back for us tonight."**

 **Weiss lowered her blinds causing Jaune to smile and lean against his car. He picked up a bigger rock and threw it breaking the window. He rushed into his car Ren next to him as they tore out of the driveway.**

"You idiot," Weiss facepalmed.

"It happens," Yang giggled at the sight.

"Oh yeah?" Raven looked at her daughter, "And how would you know that?"

"Hey look a leaf!" Yang pointed with a cherry face.

 **Kline walked in with red eyes, that shifted blue when he saw Weiss holding up a broken lamp.**

" **Lace up your shoes,"**

 **AOAO ah, NPR vocalized**

" **Here's how we do**

 **Run baby run**

 **Don't ever look back**

 **They'll tear us apart**

 **If you give them the chance**

 **Don't sell your heart**

 **Don't say we're not meant to be**

 **Run baby run forever will be**

 **You and me"**

 **Weiss received a picture on her scroll of JNPR playing on a makeshift stage inside a Ruby's house.**

"Why didn't we think of that?" Yang looked at Ruby.

"That's a good question," Ruby was still dancing, along with Velvet, Coco, Pyrrha, and Nora dragging Ren with her.

"Blake?" Yang asked.

Blake smiled and took Yang's hand as they began dancing.

 **Weiss groaned as her head fell back, she closed her eyes and was walking down the street with Ruby. The two saw JNPR practicing in a garage. Jaune singing, Ren and Pyrrha on guitar, with Nora on the drums.**

" **Check yes Juliet, I'll be waiting**

 **Wishing, wanting yours for the taking**

 **Just sneak out and don't tell a soul goodbye.**

 **Check yes Juliet, here's the count down**

 **3…2…1…now fall in my arms**

 **Now they can change the locks don't let them change your mind"**

 **Ruby sat on the armrest while Pyrrha listened to their rehearsal. Jaune and Weiss sat on the sofa, she held a guitar and he was teaching her how to play. Jacques walked in and Weiss immediately jumped off the sofa regaining her composure.**

"Jackass," Wiess muttered.

Weiss watched most of the other students dancing, and figure why not, and joined them.

 **Jaune drove behind Weiss and they started talking through the window.**

" **Lace up your shoes"**

 **AOAO ah, NPR vocalized**

" **Here's how we do**

 **Run baby run**

 **Don't ever look back**

 **They'll tear us apart**

 **If you give them the chance**

 **Don't sell your heart**

 **Don't say we're not meant to be**

 **Run baby run forever will be**

 **You and me"**

 **The hood was up and Jaune was showing her the different parts of the engine. She smeared some grease on his cheek, so he smeared some on her nose. They fought onto the ground, their lips inches apart, until a horn gained their attention. Jaune watched as Weiss left in the back of a limo.**

"I see what you mean," Blake was still dancing.

"You heard that?" Weiss danced closer to Blake.

She responded by pointing at her cat ears.

" **We're flying through the night**

 **We're flying through the night**

 **Way up high,**

 **The view from here is getting better with you by my side"**

 **Weiss was talking to Ruby while she changed into her usual attire. Once she had she opened her window and saw Ruby in her car waiting for Weiss. She climbed down the side, jumped into the car, and they drove off.**

 **Jacques felt something wrong and looked out the door to see the car drive off. He and Winter followed shortly.**

 **Pyrrha had a mini guitar solo.**

 **The instruments died down**

" **Run baby run**

 **Don't ever look back**

 **They'll tear us apart**

 **If you give them the chance"**

 **Nora wailed on the drums bringing sound back**

" **Don't sell your heart**

 **Don't say we're not meant to be**

 **Run baby run**

 **Forever will be…**

 **You and me"**

 **Jaune looked over with a smile on his face when he saw Weiss in the crowd.**

" **Run baby run**

 **Don't ever look back**

 **They'll tear us apart**

 **If you give them the chance"**

 **Jacques stepped out of the car while Winter waited. He stepped inside asking around for his daughter. Jaune quickly took off his guitar and grabbed Weiss' hand.**

" **Don't sell your heart**

 **Don't say we're not meant to be**

 **Run baby run**

 **Forever will be…**

 **You and me"**

 **Ren and Pyrrha kept playing the guitar while Jaune and Weiss ran out of the house. Winter jumped out of the car to stop them, but when she saw how happy Weiss was, she held her tongue.**

"Sisters know what to do," Yang cheekily smiled as the music stopped.

"Don't get any ideas now," Taiyang stood by the entrance.

"DAD?!" Ruby and Yang turned to see him.

"WINTER!" Weiss shot out of her seat.

"Well I must say that was one of the more interesting things I've seen," Winter returned the hug she found herself in, "Who is this Jaune fellow?"

"Oh, don't worry," Weiss waved her off, "It's an alternate universe, the real Jaune and I are just friends."

"Good," Winter nodded, "Wait alternate universe?"

"Oh yeah," Ruby chuckled, "We have a lot to talk about."


	10. (VII) HellsArc

Quick announcement: I'd like to apologize for my absence. I lost my job and with it a very important person to me. So I was a little depressed. But I have a new job now so I will be posting again. Now enough with the melodrama and on with the show!

.

.

.

"This is a tale about a world of adventure, a sea full of excitement, a man full of dreams! And a passion that seeks to drive him to the top!"

" **Okay," Taiyang smiled, "This looks to be interesting!"**

Static changes the screen to a home massacre. Two people kissed in the moonlight over the slaughtered bodies.

"Oh yes," she moaned, "I love you Edward."

"And I..." the emotionless fuckbucket droned, "Love you...Bella."

" **Oh god," Blake rubbed her head at the forming migraine.**

" **Anything but this!" Ruby cried.**

" **Run!" Sun yelled.**

There was a polite knock on the door.

"Hold on," he pulled himself away and stood in the door way, "Who is it?"

"Oh you know," a voice behind the door said while a storm of bullets shredded the door, and plastered Edward on the wall. Jaune, dressed in a red trench coat kept firing as he stepped into the house, and continued shooting. Once he was satisfied, or out of ammo, he holstered his gun, "A real fucking vampire."

" **And just like that I'm interested again," Yang sat back down.**

" **Oh thank god," Blake smiled, "I've been wanting to do that forever!"**

" **Are we just ignoring the fact he just killed someone?!" Taiyang was shock at how calm everyone was.**

" **Oh yeah," Nora shrugged, "WARTHUNDER!"**

"Ooops," the suited man appeared and snapped his fingers, "There we go!" He disappeared.

" **Oh, so you've already seen murder happy Jaune then," Winter rubbed her temples.**

" **Yeah," Weiss nodded, "You get kind of used to it after a while…"**

" **Why were we pirates?" Winter asked.**

" **I don't think the weirdest has come yet…" Taiyang answered.**

"Hey Huntress," Jaune spoke into his earpiece startling Yang sitting on a nearby roof, "Do you you have the target?"

"Okay," Yang sounded annoyed, "My name is Yang. And yes, I have eyes on the target."

"Well," Jaune teleported behind her, "You better take the shot. You're letting her get away."

"If you just give me a second to concentrate I could-"

"She's getting away. She's running!"

"I get it," Yang's eyes turned red, "I'm lining up the-"

"Going to miss it. Going to miss it!"

"Just be quiet and let me-"

"Hey huntress. Hey. Hey huntress!"

Yang fired and the bullet soared through the air and blew Bella's organs onto the ground in a magnificent red paste.

"THERE! I TOOK THE FUCKING SHOT! SHE'S DEAD, THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE!"

"Oh you are just a treat.

ONE WEEK EARLIER.

" **LUCKY!" Everyone screamed.**

" **HA!" Yang triumphantly yelled.**

"Now I know what you're thinking: "How did all of this come about?"

" **That's one of the questions we've asked ourselves today," Ozpin answered.**

"Well it all started with a midnight stroll through the woods," Jaune was walking through the forest, "The air was clear, the moon was full, and I was dying to sink my teeth into something. Get it? Because I'm a vampire...mwahahahaha-it's funny."

" **Oh great," Ruby groaned.**

" **This guy's kinda funny," Taiyang agreed.**

" **I thought killing those two was good, but he has jokes too!" Yang smiled.**

 **Everyone groaned at them.**

"So you came!" A vampiric priest turned around and stared at Jaune, "Too be you're far too late."

"What?" Jaune watched him.

"Everyone else is already dead!" He moved to the side revealing his ghoul army, "Except this little tart." He was holding Yang by her hair. "But trust me, I still plan to kill her."

"Mm-hm," Jaune was only half paying attention.

"But first I'm going to rape her!" He proclaimed.

"Nnneat," Jaune was getting bored.

"But before I can do any of that," he pointed at Jaune, "I'm going to kill YOU!"

"Oh?" Jaune raised an eyebrow, "See that would be intimidating if you were, well intimidating." Jaune mocked.

"Are you mocking me?" The priest growled.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no...pfft yeah!" Jaune fired through Yang and killed the priest.

" **WHAT THE HELL?!" Taiyang screamed.**

" **We're all going to die at least once," Ruby sighed, "It's Yang's turn now."**

" **I wish it was more epic than a hostage," Yang sighed.**

" **Are we really comparing deaths?" Raven looked at them.**

" **Got something better to do?" Qrow asked.**

"Well that about wraps things up here."

Yang was on the ground choking to death.

"Oh yeah, forgot about you. Sorry about the whole shooting you thing, but I know if you look deep into your heart -which is currently all over that tree- you'll find a way to forgive me."

Yang was kinda busy to choking to death to answer.

"Aw, jeez, you look like a puppy!" Jaune looked at Yang STILL choking to death, "A blonde, eviscerated puppy!"

Goddamn, Yang is still choking to death!

"Alright fine I'll help you! But only because you have nice tits."

" **THAT'S the reason I live?!" Yang's cheeks reddened.**

" **Well," Blake blushed, "I mean you do have some monstrosities on your chest."**

" **BLAKE!" Yang covered her chest.**

 **Everyone snickered at the comment.**

The scene changed to Glynda Goodwitch listening to Jaune over speakerphone while opera music played.

"So that's your field report?" She asked.

"Yep," Jaune simply answered.

"You went on a walk through the forest at midnight..."

"Yep,"

"You killed a homicidal vampire priest..."

"Dead,"

"And then you turned someone into a vampire...who happened to be..."

"A big-tittied Huntress," They said simultaneously.

"Yes!" Jaune sighed, "It's like I just didn't get through explaining this! Now if you don't mind, I've got things to do."

"What "things"? You don't do things"."

"Yes I do, I take enthusiastic walks through the woods."

"And kill homicidal vampire priests."

"VERY enthusiastic walks."

ONE WEEK LATER

" **You know it's kinda hilarious," Qrow smiled.**

" **What is?" Glynda sneered.**

" **A control freak like you with something you can't control?" Qrow chuckled, "That's better than anything I can think of."**

" **Oh shut up," Glynda rolled her eyes.**

Literally Glynda talking to Jaune again.

"So that's your field report?"

"Yep."

"So you broke into the house..."

"Yep."

"And you shot him thirty six times..."

"Thirty SEVEN!"

"And took out his partner..."

"To be fair that was the Huntress, with the big titties."

"You need to stop going on walks."

"And you need to hurry up and hook up some goddamn DSL in here!"

"Ugh...listen you have an assignment in Ireland."

" **I swear this is almost like real life," Glynda pinches the bridge of her nose.**

" **Oh?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow.**

" **When was the last time anyone listened to anything I said?" Glynda looked at Ozpin, Ironwood, and Qrow.**

" **Uhhh,"**

" **That's what I thought," Glynda rolled her eyes**.

"Ooh. I've never hunted down a leprechaun before! Do you think if I shoot them with my gun Lucky Charms will explode everywhere?"

"Sweet god...just get to Ireland, kill the vampire who's taken over the hospital, and bring the Huntress with you."

"Ah, come on, I have to bring her everywhere."

"Ah, ah, ah, none of the sass!"

"Yes, moooooooom."

" **You saved me now you want nothing to do with me?!" Yang gasped, "Dick!"**

" **Is he a child?" Cinder asked.**

" **A bloodthirsty murderous child," Mercury added**.

The scene changed to a church with a choir singing, birds tweeting, and bells ringing. A sister was seen playing with children as an older man approached.

"So what can I do for you Father O'Malley'O'Connel'O'Carrol'O'Reilly'O'Brian'O'Sullivan who is also Mistralian?" Pyrrha Nikos spoke to the older man.

" **Why am I a nun?" Pyrrha asked.**

" **That guy's name is seriously long," Nora eyes were spinning.**

" **I'm surprised you're still questioning things," Ruby looked at Pyrrha.**

" **Nonsense!" Oobleck yelled from his seat, "We must always ask questions!"**

" **Deja Vu," Ozpin shook his head.**

"Tell-a me, Nikos," the man with the really long name I don't bother repeating asked, "What is your favorite thing to do?"

"Spreading the word and love of Jesus Christ to the many people of the world," Pyrrha smiled brightly, "Teaching peace and love for all."

"And-a killing-a vampires?"

"Ah just try to fucking stop me," Her face was hidden in shadows as he smiled turned fiendish.

"And-a what about Protestants?"

"Second verse same as the first, now put me on a plane so I put them in a hearse."

" **Oooh Pyrrha," Nora cooed, "Eager to break some vampire legs are we?"**

" **Well they're monsters," Pyrrha thought it over, "Shouldn't we need to kill them."**

" **But you don't have to be so excited about it," Yang said, "Plus wouldn't that mean killing Jaune?"**

" **That isn't Jaune," Pyrrha shook her head, "That is an Alternate Jaune."**

Yang was sitting on the steps outside a mansion while bullets were being fried from the inside.

"Hey Huntress," a muffled Jaune spoke out, "Huntress! This is awesome! You should totally join in. Seriously, there's like, 40 zombies in here. Just one shot in the head and they explode! It's like House of the Dead, only like 100x more awesome!"

Yang rolled through the door with her sniper rifle ready, "Ugh, fine! I'll shoot some of the rotten bastards. Can't be that much fun..." she fired and the head she was aiming for became confetti.

Yangs both on screen and the audience eyes turned red, "Oh fuck the hell YES." They said simultaneously.

" **I think you've played too many games Firecracker," Qrow watched the carnage unfold.**

Yang began shooting every zombie in sight! Until she ran out of ammo, then she just used the gun as a club and began beating zombies to death! But that got boring and she decided to use her hands.

" **Normally I wouldn't agree with your uncle," Taiyang gulped, "But on this we can agree."**

" **Nonsense!" Raven applauded, "At least someone besides blondie has a spine."**

" **Goddamn It Raven," Qrow rubbed his tired eyes.**

"Sweet Black-fucking-Sabbath," Jaune approached from behind, "If I wasn't holding out for that beast of a woman, Goodwitch, I'd fuck the red right out of those eyes."

Several swords flew through the air and impaled Yang!

"Kinda like that only with less symbolism and more my penis in your vagina."

" **Damn Vomit Boy!" Yang blushed, "Stop thinking with your dick for one second please!"**

" **Or stop using it on my daughter/niece!" Qrow and Taiyang yelled.**

" **I'd think he'd be an acceptable suitor," Raven shrugged.**

" **What?!" Ruby, Yang, Qrow and Taiyang yelled.**

Sniff, sniff.

"Huh?" Jaune turned around, "Suddenly it smells of hypocrisy in here."

Pyrrha was seen walking into the hallway.

"Oh if it isn't the Catholic Church," Jaune saw Pyrrha's bloody blades in her hands, "And what's this? No Little Timmy glued to your crotch? Progress!"

"Ah," Pyrrha smiled like a psychopath, "And look at what we have here: A BLOODY HEATHEN!"

"Excuse me!" Jaune was offended, "But I'm a fuckmothering vampire! A killed a LOT of people to get this title! I deserve to be called as such."

" **See?" Raven pointed, "Staring death in the face and laughing at it."**

" **That can be dangerously close to arrogance," Qrow pointed out.**

" **From what we've seen," Raven looked at her brother, "I think he can walk the walk."**

" **I wonder how our fight will go," Pyrrha leaned forward with interest.**

"Well then, mind if I ask you your name?"

"Only if you give yours first PAPIST."

"Fine I'll give you the curtesy. The name's-"

"Pyrrha Nikos," Ozpin said to Glynda sitting at her desk.

"Oh fuck all kinds of duck," Glynda gasped.

" **Not exactly the words I'd use to describe Ms. Nikos vs Mr. Arc," Glynda sighed at this version of herself.**

" **Don't you mean Mrs. Arc?" Qrow snickered.**

 **Pyrrha, Yang, and Cinder choked on air.**

" **Which one?" Raven pointed out, "By the way Queen."**

 **Yang's cheeks darkened and her body went stiff.**

" **We need to talk," Raven and Taiyang were staring sending a chill up her spine.**

"You have been chosen to reveal my existence to the world! You will witness what happens here today and you will tell of it later!" Pyrrha made a cross with his blades, "Except you won't! Cuz I'll have killed ya!" Pyrrha laughs menacingly.

"Oh my! Brilliant speech, and unoriginal. That's totally from Boondock Saints."

"What? No it isn't. I came up with it a week ago!"

"Whatever. We're here for the vampire."

"The only one left here is your pale ass."

Yang was choking, yet again.

"Yeah, Yeah give me a minute," Jaune turned to her for a second then back to Pyrrha. "So what do you want anyway? The nearest elementary school is at least ten miles away.

"It is your corrupt acclaim! It is your EVIL that will be sought by me with every breath!"

"Boondock! Saints! Seriously, you must watch that movie religiously," Jaune chuckled at his own joke, "Get it?"

"Okay, you know what? Fuck it, knife!"

"Knife?"

Before Jaune could react there were two swords in his throat. Yang the tried to stand, but Jaune pulled his hand-cannon from the beginning and shot Pyrrha right in the fucking face!

"Boom," he watched Pyrrha fly, "Headshot." He looked back at Yang, "Well now that that's over, how about we go back to my place for a nice bowl of my favorite cereal, Count Choc—"

"DECAPITATION!" Pyrrha screamed as he beheaded Jaune.

"Master!" Yang cried.

"Well now that that's over, how about we go back to my place for a bowl of my favorite cereal, "Frankenber—" Pyrrha's skull pushed out the bullet and healed itself, "SON OF A PROTESTANT WHORE!" Pyrrha saw that Yang was no longer there.

" **So we're both immortals?" Pyrrha tilted her head, "That's Interesting."**

" **You just cut off Jaune's Head..." Velvet used her ears to cover her eyes.**

" **I've got money that says: he'll come back," she shrugged.**

" **You still cut off his head," Coco shuddered, "And were rather proud of it."**

" **Coco, your purse turns into a mini gun, you jumped into a horde, and slaughtered how many of them?"**

" **That's different!"**

" **Is it? They're both monsters..."**

"See?" Yang was carrying Jaune's Head, "This kind of shit is why I stopped going to church."

"Huntress," Jaune spoke with a spoopy voice, "Huntress! You are reading your master's mind. Put my head between your boooooobs!"

" **S-See?" Pyrrha gritted through her teeth, "H-He's alive!"** _ **I swear I'm going to kill him!**_

" **Seems a lot bolder than our Jaune isn't he?" Blake smirked.**

" **For once," Yang rubbed her temples.**

"Now I'm all alone," she hugged the head, "The only thing I have left is you."

"Very good!" Jaune's voice was muffled, "Now the next thing I want you to do is put my head between your legs!"

A flying sword impaled Jaune's Head on the wall.

"GODDAMN IT!" He screamed.

" **Now can you stop thinking with your dick?!" Yang and Pyrrha yelled.**

 _ **I swear, why does Yang get two?! Can we get seconds?!**_

"It's a shame for you to lose your head," Pyrrha was stepping closer, "A careless vampire who wound up dead. You wore your sin like it was some kind of prize. Too many lies, too many lies."

"What do I do?" Yang thought to herself, "What do I do? I...I could try seducing her? Wait, I'm not an eight year old boy! Shit!"

"Say your prayers wee lass!" Pyrrha raised his blades only to be shot to pieces. Both looked over to see Glynda with a smoking gun.

"That girl belongs to me," Glynda glared.

"Well aren't you the naughty one?" Pyrrha smirked.

" **Glynda!" Qrow faked being offended, "That's my niece you twisted woman!"**

" **Oh for the love of god," Glynda rolled her eyes and flicked a bucket of popcorn at Qrow.**

"Don't make me shoot you in the fucking head!"

"What the hell do you want you crazy Protestant bastard?"

"I'm a WOMAN."

"Call yourself whatever you want you crazy Protestant bastard."

"You do know this is a grave violation of our agreement."

"And what part would that be?"

"The part where you're here, killing my men."

Pyrrha kills her bodyguards.

"I have no idea what you're on about! I'm just here doing my job! Killing vampires, werewolves, and leprechauns. I've never actually meet on but do you think if I stab him with my sword Lucky Charms will come out?!"

"Just shut up! Where the hell is Jaune?"

"Oh him? I KILLED him."

"Killed him?"

"Cut off his bloody head!"

"Oh, well that's step one. What about two through ten?"

"Ah shit!"

EPIC ORCHESTRA MUSIC PLAYED AS JAUNE REASSEMBLES HIMSELF.

" **Called it!" Pyrrha raised her fist,** _ **Now hurry up and kill him other me! Stupid, perverted, vampire Jaune...**_

"You done goofed," Jaune pointed his gun at Pyrrha.

"How the blood-soaked Protestant hell did you do that?!" Pyrrha watched.

"Fuck you that's how."

"You know what I've had enough of this," Pyrrha pulled out a bible. The pages surrounded him and he teleported away.

"Eat me," Jaune waved, "Don't forget to write!"

"Oh..." Yang watched, "He's alive!"

"Sooooo," Jaune turned to Glynda.

"What?" She asked with a burning cigar.

"Do I get to go after her?"

"No!"

"Awww, come on!"

"No and that's final! We've got bigger things to worry about. Whoever's behind these vampire attacks, it has to be some kind of organized group."

"Like the White Fang?"

"That would be retarded."

The scene changed to an army of Faunus troops.

"Gentlemen," Adam spoke, "Ve...are the White Fang..."

"Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!"

"Und ve...will have war..."

"Sieg Hiel! Sieg Hiel!"

"Und ve... UND VE... ACHOO!"

"Gazuntite! Gazuntite!"

" **Professor Goodwitch was right," Blake sighed, "That was retarded."**

" **But what happens next?!" Ruby cried, "Zombie Pyrrha vs Vampire Jaune?! The White Fang?! Vampire Yang?! Oh come on that can't be how it ends!"**

 **A/N: So my days off are even more screwy than my last job, but chapters will come! Again I apologize for my absence but here is the latest.**


	11. (VIII) Battle of the Cowards

**There was a wide patch of land, a slight fog had rolled in, and two envoys on horseback rode to each other.**

"That looks like Vale," Ozpin examined the land.

"It looks different," Glynda tilted her head, "Almost older."

"Time Travel," Sun waved his hands in front of his face.

"We were pirates," Blake shrugged, "What are we now."

" **You don't need to be here," Jaune leaned over to Weiss on her horse.**

" **Yes I do," She shuddered in her saddle.**

 **The others finally reached them. The guards stood back while three stepped forward: Cinder, Mercury, and Adam.**

" **My favorite pet," Cinder lecherously smiled, "I've actually missed your tongue. Thank you for returning the stray to me safely. Now, dismount and kneel before me. Surrender your army and proclaim me the true Ruler of Vale and Mistress of Beacon."**

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted.

 _I'm liking this one already,_ Cinder smiled.

"A-Am I a sex slave?!" Weiss shrieked.

"Interesting turn," Adam watched himself, "A Schnee is now the pet. That's rich **.** "

"Quiet you!" Winter snapped.

"Why aren't I there?" Emerald looked at Cinder's escort.

"If we watched, wed find out." Cinder told her her smile waning none the less.

" **I will pardon you for deserting the Atlas Military. I will pardon these treasonous lords for betraying my house. Come, Coward, you don't have the men, you don't have the horses, and you don't have Beacon. Why lead those poor souls into slaughter? There's no need for a battle, get off your horse and kneel. I am a woman of mercy.**

 **This Jaune has two scars, one across his left eye and one just above his right eyebrow. He stared at Cinder coldly as she spoke. Weiss knew every word Cinder spoke was a lie. She just hoped Jaune wouldn't fall for it.**

"Think he'll fall for it?" Yang asked.

"No," Weiss shook her head, "Despite his failings, Jaune's not stupid."

"What do you think he'll do?" Nora held Ren's hand.

"Jaune seemed out manned," Ren watched, "Maybe he'll fight with words."

" **You're right," Jaune finally spoke, "There's no need for a battle. Thousands of men don't need to die. Only one of us. Let's end this the old way. You against me."**

"The Old Way?" Ruby looked to her father.

"He's not joking when he says old," Taiyang answered, "The Old Way once said that if someone did you wrong you confronted them yourself, and settled it yourself. That tradition died a long time ago."

"Maybe for you," Raven added, "You've grown soft..."

 **Cinder laughed, "I've heard stories about you, Coward. The way people in Vale talk about you, you're the greatest swordsman who ever walked. Maybe you are that good. Maybe you aren't. I don't know if I'd beat you. But I know my army will beat yours. I have 6000 men. You have what? Half that? Not even?"**

"Damn," was all Ozpin could say.

"He had a good attempt," Qrow approved, "Too Bad Cinder had a contingency."

 _Pays to be prepared. Better luck next time._ Cinder's smile could only grow.

" **Aye, you have the numbers," Jaune agreed, "Would your men want to fight for you, when they hear you won't fight for them?"**

 _Clever boy,_ Cinder nodded, _Trying to play my game huh?_

"Switching up tactics huh?" Ironwood raised an eyebrow.

"I did say he had a mind for tactics," Ozpin smiled at his student.

 **Cinder began laughing again, "He's good. Very good! Tell me, would you let your little sister die because you're too proud to surrender?"**

" **How do we know you have her?" Weiss demanded.**

 **Adam reached in his sack. And threw at their feet the bloody head of Zwei still on a meat hook.**

Ruby started crying at the sight. Taiyang quickly held his daughter and shielded her eyes.

"Adam you sick bastard," Yang growled with crimson eyes.

 **Weiss looked at the head then back to Cinder smirking.**

" **Now if you want to save-"**

" **You're going to die tomorrow Cinder," Weiss cut her off, "Sleep well." And with that she rode away.**

" **She's a fine woman the Heiress," Cinder smiled, "I look forward to having her back in my bed. And you're all fine looking men and women. My dogs are desperate to meet you I haven't feed them for seven days they're ravenous! I wonder which parts they'll try first? Your eyes? Your balls? We'll find out soon enough. In the morning then, Coward."**

 **Cinder rode off after her last word.**

Taiyang uncovered Ruby and she looked at the screen.

"He deserted the military?" Winter growled.

"That's probably why everyone is calling him Coward," Ironwood shook his head.

"Jaune wouldn't do that on a whim," Pyrrha snapped, "If he broke his word, he has a good reason for it."

" **If she's smart she'll stay behind the walls of Beacon and wait is out," Jaune looked over a map with his council.**

" **That's not her way," Roman shook his head, "She knows Vale will be watching, the other houses sense weakness on her part they'll stop fearing her. She can't have that, fear is her power."**

" **It's her weakness too," Jaune countered, "Her men don't want to fight for her they're forced to. Once they see the tide turning..."**

" **It's not his men that worry me, it's her horses," Kali spoke, "I've seen what mounted knights can do, they'll cut through our army like piss through snow."**

"Colorful visual," Kali appeared next to Blake.

"Mom?!" Blake jumped out of her skin.

"Yep!" Kali smiled as Ghira sat next to them.

"We got a little mind experience when we were brought in," Illia groaned, "So, this looks interesting. Medieval knights should be fun."

"You guys are taking this extraordinarily well," Blake looked at the new guests.

"It's hard to say no when someone plants the proof inside your head," Ghira shrugged.

Illia And Kali nodded in agreement.

" **It's crucial that they charge at us," Roman looked at the map, "They have the numbers, we need the patience. If we let her buckle our center, we'll have her surrounded on three sides."**

" **Did you really think that cunt would fight you man-to-woman?" Kali leaned over to Jaune.**

"Haven't heard you talk like that since Blake was born," Ghira chuckled.

"Mom?" Blake looked at her.

"Well I wanted to censor myself around you," Kali blushed.

" **No," Jaune shook his head, "But I wanted to make her angry. I want her coming at us with full force."**

" **We should all get some sleep," Roman sighed.**

" **Aye," Kali agreed, "Rest Jaune, we'll need you sharp tomorrow."**

"Taking all bets!" Mercury raised his hand, "Who's betting on who?"

"Can I bet on myself?" Adam handed Mercury money.

"I bet on our fearless leader!" Nora proclaimed.

"Think he has a shot?" Ironwood asked Ozpin while the students gambled.

"I guess we'll find out," Ozpin thought it over, "Cinder has the numbers. But Jaune has a flexible mind, and has gotten through hardships before."

" **So," Weiss spoke once they were alone, "You've met the enemy. Drawn up your battle plans."**

 **"Aye," Jaune nodded, "For what there worth."**

 **"You've known her for the space of a single conversation," Weiss' tone was turning, "You and your trusted advisors, and you sit around making your plans on how to defeat a woman you don't know. I lived with her. I know the way her mind works. I know how she likes to hurt people. Did it ever once occur to you that I might have some insight?"**

 **"You're right," Jaune sighed.**

 **"You think she's going to fall into your trap? She won't she's the one who lays traps."**

 **"She's overconfident."**

 **"She plays with people. He's far better at it than you. He's been doing it his whole life."**

 **"Aye, and what have I been doing all my life? Playing with broomsticks?" Jaune stood up almost angrily, "I've fought beyond the Northern Wastes against worse than Cinder Fall. I defended Atlas from worse than Cinder Fall."**

Ironwood spit out his drink, "Did he say Northern Wastes?!"

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Qrow looked over at Ironwood.

"The Northern Wastes," Ironwood wiped his chin, "Are just that, frozen uninhabitable wastelands. We don't even think the Grimm could survive them."

"It could be like Menagerie," Ghira spoke, "The Grimm that live in the deserts are far more dangerous than the deserts of Vacuo. There could be some up there that are more dangerous than normal found around Atlas."

"Do you think that's why he left the military?" Yang asked, "Is the threat so great he'd risk imprisonment for it?"

 **"You don't know her," Weiss argued.**

 **"Alright tell me," Jaune gave in, "What should we do? How do we get Nora back?"**

 **"We'll never get her back," Weiss shook her head.**

 **Jaune stared at Weiss, "I won't give up on my sister."**

 **"Listen to me please," Weiss begged, "She wants you to make a mistake."**

 **"Of course she does," Jaune stepped closer to Weiss, "What should I do differently?"**

 **"I don't know," Weiss yelled, "I don't know anything about battles. Just don't do what he wants you to do."**

 **"Aye that's good advice," sarcasm dripping from his tongue.**

 **"You think that's obvious?"**

 **"It is a bit obvious."**

 **"If you had asked for my advice earlier, I would have told you not to attack Beacon until we had a larger force or is that obvious, too?"**

 **"When will we have a larger force?! We've pleaded with every house that'll have us. The Drunken Qrow can't help us. We're lucky to have this many men!"**

 **"It's not enough!"**

 **"No, it's not enough. It's what we have. Battles have been won with greater odds."**

 **"If Cinder wins, I won't be going back there alive. Do you understand me?"**

 **"I won't let her touch you again. I'll protect you, I promise."**

 **"No one can protect me, no one can protect anyone..."**

 _Oh little Weiss, so scared of me you die before coming back? I like this universe._

"I don't think I've ever been scared for a human," Ilia shuddered, "Much less a Schnee."

"You feel bad for her?" Adam was appalled, "After everything they've done?"

"Then kill her," Ilia retorted, "Becoming a sex slave isn't something I'd wish on my worst enemy. That's worse than wrong..."

 **"You think there's hope?" Roman asked Kali as they walked.**

 **"I've never seen these fuckers fight," Kali shrugged, "And they've never seen OUR Faunus fight, so yes, there's hope. You want to avenge your friend don't you?"**

 **"It wasn't Cinder who defeated Emerald, it was Emerald herself. I loved the girl, she was the first to stand up to Cinder when she stared turning batshit. But she thought she could bring the Old a Cinder back, and didn't accept that she was gone."**

 **"Well you loved that Cunt Emerald, and I loved the man she burned. Ghira didn't follow some red harlot or burn people alive. I believed in him, and gave him a daughter because of that. I need a good drink to help me sleep before a fight. You want some? I've got a jug of sour goats milk, stronger than any of that grape water you humans like sucking on."**

 **"No thanks, that does sound delicious, but I want to keep a clear head. I can never sleep the night before a battle."**

 **"So what do you do all night?"**

 **"I walk, I think and walk. Think and walk until I'm far enough away from camp no one can hear me shitting my guts out."**

 **Kali roared with laughter, "Happy Shitting." Kali saluted and returned to her tent.**

"Sour Goats Milk?" Qrow gagged.

"What?" Kali, Ghira, Ilia, Adam, and Blake looked at everyone around them, "Don't knock it till you try it."

"You're joking right?" Yang looked over to Blake.

Blake handed her a flask from unknown origin. Yang hesitated and quickly took a little drink. To her great regret she gagged, and immediately gave it back to Blake. She chuckled as she passed it to the other Faunus.

"Guess we found you," Mercury elbowed Emerald.

"Oh joy, I'm dead," Emerald rolled her eyes.

"Would you really try to bring me back?" Cinder looked over to Emerald, "If I went over the edge, would you try to bring me back."

"Of course."

 **The same field where negotiations were held, was now a battlefield. The morning was crisp and cold. Jaune's army comprised of humans, Faunus, and a giant? Stood against the trees. Jaune rode to the lead with Roman on horseback next to him, with Kali and the giant next on foot.**

 **Across the field was Cinder's army, but dotting the field were flaming posts. It took a minute to realize the flaming posts had people on them.**

"You could cut the tension with a knife," Pyrrha felt uneasy in her seat.

"It's always the calm before it that's most unsettling," Ozpin watched also uneasy.

 **Cinder was seen walking through her army leading something tied behind her. Once she was in front it was revealed she was pulling Nora. Jaune glared as he watched them. Cinder pulled Nora next to her and held up a knife. Nora looked at the ground prepared for what to happen next. Cinder cut her ropes.**

 **"Do you like games?" Cinder asked, "Run to your brother! The sooner you make it to him, the sooner you get to see him again. That's the game. Easy? Ready? Go!"**

 **Nora began walking away.**

 **"No you have to run remember?" Cinder materialized her bow, "Those are the rules."**

 **"Hyah!" Jaune cried as his horse took off.**

"Run me!" Nora yelled.

 **Cinder fired an arrow and missed, "Damn it."**

Nora was crushing Ren and Pyrrha's hands, normally they'd object but they didn't care at the moment.

 **Cinder fired another and missed again, "Son of a bitch."**

The professors watched with hope and Jaune and Nora grew closer.

 **Cinder fired again and missed, "You know I'm really bad at this."**

"Almost there," Ilia whispered as she held her breath.

 **Jaune held his hand out for Nora as they were inches apart. When the arrow pierced her chest. Sound seemed to disappear as Jaune watched Nora slowly die on the ground.**

Pyrrha and Ren held Nora as she stared at her dead self. Yang's eyes flashed red as she took the flask from Blake. Ruby was holding her father crying. Weiss' nails dug into her armrests. Blake was drinking.

Adam and Ilia hated the humans, but seeing that was just cruel. Giving them hope just to strip it away? Not even Adam would stoop so low.

"Things are about to get so much worse," Ghira held Kali's hand.

"You're gone," Kali squeezed, "But at least we had Blake."

"I don't like where this is headed," Qrow sank in his seat.

"What gave that away?" Glynda wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Let's see what happens next," Raven said, "He's right, battles have been won against greater odds..."

 _I would've burned her, eh, shooting her in his hands was nice too._

" **Don't," Kali watched Jaune stand over Nora's body.**

" **Prepare to charge!" Roman commanded, "PREPARE TO CHARGE!"**

 **Jaune's army scrambled while Cinder smirked back onto her horse.**

" **DRAW!" Her archers readied their bows.**

" **LOOSE!" Her archers fired.**

 **A cloud of arrows came toward Jaune.**

" **HYAH!" Jaune shouted as his horse ran. The arrows rained stabbing Nora's body repeatedly.**

" **GO! GO!" Roman shouted, "FOLLOW YOUR COMMANDER!"**

 **Jaune's calvary men charged.**

" **RUN AND FIGHT!" Kali drew her sword. The Faunus drew their blades, the giant roared, and they all charged. The hoof beats thundered through the speakers as they charged. Cinder ordered another storm of arrows.**

 **Jaune was thrown from his horse as it was shot.**

"Jaune!" Pyrrha shouted.

"Come on," Taiyang grit his teeth, "Get up! Move!"

 **Cinder smirked, "Now."**

" **CALVARY!" Mercury shouted, "CHARGE!"**

 **Jaune watched the horses charge. He switched his sword into great sword mode and held it with both hands.**

"Run away!" Ruby screamed.

"He won't run," Ozpin watched, "Not from this."

 **He raised to swing.**

"You know what they say about blondes with blue eyes," Sun watched them draw closer, "We're easy to knock down, but we're a motherfucker to keep down."

 **As the Calvary reached him, his own tackled into them, unleashing chaos. Jaune looked everywhere, seeing horses collide, spears entering bodies, and the cries of the wounded.**

" **KNOCK!" Roman ordered.**

" **KNOCK!" Cinder ordered.**

"Who's there?" Mercury was faced with glares from EVERYONE.

"Sorry, shutting up now..."

" **DRAW!" Roman ordered.**

" **DRAW!" Cinder ordered.**

The students watched with anticipation while the professors remained stern, although slowly failing as the battle continued.

" **We'll just kill our own men!" Roman shook his head, "STAND DOWN!"**

" **LOOSE!" Cinder ordered, not caring if her men died. Just so long as Jaune's did. Arrows rained killing both men and horses. Jaune was dodging rampaging horses and occasionally cutting a rider off the mount. He showed no mercy and cut down any of Cinder's men that got in his way. He saw one of his men, he held the man he was attacking, so his man could win.**

" **GET WORD-!" Jaune began but an arrow killed his messenger. With no other choice, he resumed his solo attack on Cinder's men.**

"Are we sure this isn't an Evil Jaune?" Winter asked.

"Of course not!" Ruby defended her bestie, "Those are bad guys!"

"As childish as that sounded," Weiss sighed, "She's right, those serve Cinder who just murdered our friend! And possibly others!"

" **LOOSE!" Cinder ordered another cloud of arrows.**

 **The bodies began to literally pile up. Jaune was still standing fighting with all he had.**

"Mr. Arc has certainly improved," Glynda observed.

"Cinder herself called him the best swordsman to ever walk," Raven nodded, "Seems the rumors were true."

" **We may as well be taking shits back here!" Roman jumped off his horse, "FOLLOW!" His cane revealed a sword inside and he, along with Jaune's archers, charged toward the battle.**

" **It's time," Cinder smirked, "Go."**

 **Adam drew his blood red blade and walked forward.**

" **WHO OWNS VALE?!" He shouted.**

" **WE DO!" His Faunus replied.**

" **WHO OWNS THE HUMANS?!" He shouted.**

" **WE DO!" They cried.**

" **SHOW ME!" Adam lead his men toward Jaune.**

"Oh joy," Blake rolled her eyes, "You're still insane..."

"It's true," Adam sneered, "We are the dominant species, and this Adam acts upon it."

"I can only imagine the pain these Faunus must face," Ghira sighed.

 **Jaune was finally knocked down. The soldier kept attacking but Jaune kept blocking. Until a sword was driven through his attacker's chest.**

 **Kali dragged Jaune to his feet and shook him, "Hey!"**

 **Jaune calmed down and nodded. The Faunus joined him, the giant kicked a horse as he ran, lagging behind was Roman. Jaune was against the massive pile of bodies, but Cinder's tower shields surrounded them.**

 **Between the shields were spears, "INFANTRY! ADVANCE!"**

 **The shields picked up and marched forward, stabbing those in their way.**

"This isn't a battle," Pyrrha shook her head, "This is a one sided slaughter."

 _Awww, poor Pyrrha. Sad your little boyfriend bit off more than he could chew? Next time know who your betters are._

"Jaune's a Knight **,** " Ruby sniffed, "Knights always triumph over the bad guys."

As much as they wanted to deny it, Ruby's childish attitude made them smile.

 **One solider climbed the pile of bodies, only for Adam to slash his throat, and kick him down. Now Jaune was completely surrounded.**

" **WITH ME LADS!" Roman ordered, "BREAK THEIR LINE!"**

 **The giant knocked down five shields, the men kept their spears up, and jabbed him. Kali and the other Faunus went between the spears and shouldered the shields. With her tackle she made enough of a gap to pull one solider through and kill him.**

 **Cinder was watching the carnage with glee. Jaune's men were killing her's, but he didn't have the numbers to make a difference.**

 **Kali pulled a shield down and stabbed the man holding it. As her back was turned she was slashed by another!**

" **KALI!" A Faunus screamed.**

" **GET HER BACK!" Another dragged her away.**

Blake grabbed her mother's hand. Alternate dimension or no, seeing her mother stabbed wasn't a pleasant sight.

Ghira wasn't doing much better. First he finds out he's dead, now he's helpless to save his wife.

 **The shield wall was advancing. Kali looked back at the mound with soldiers standing on top. Then to the wall where the Faunus were dying.**

" **Fuck," she grit her teeth, "TO THE BACK!"**

 **Jaune was still fighting when he came face to face with Adam. Each readied their blade and was prepared to kill the other. But they were tackled by the Faunus and separated. As Jaune was being trampled, Adam pulled himself up and was face to face with Kali. Their blades clashed.**

"Adam I swear to god if you touch my mother I will kill you," Blake declared.

"I thought you didn't wish death upon me?" A damn questioned.

"That was before you were fighting my mother," Blake glared.

 **When the Faunus were packed together tight enough, Jaune grabbed the closest one and pulled himself up. Once he was above them, he was gasping desperately for air. He looked around at his forces. The giant was taking a spear to the side. Kali had disarmed Adamn, but he got the upper hand and began head butting her repeatedly. Roman looked bloody as he did the same. Then faint noise was heard...**

"What was that?" Cinder grew nervous.

 **The noise grew louder, it was a horn?**

"I think I have an idea," Ozpin smiled.

 **The horn was clearly heard this time. Everyone was looking for the source. Using the distraction, Kali roared, and sunk her teeth into Adam's neck! She tore out his throat and began to stab him with a dagger on her hip.**

"Damn!" Yang watched with a smile, "Momma Belladonna is a badass!"

"Daaaaaaamn," Ghira purred earning a giggle from Kali and a groan from Blake.

Adam shrunk in his seat and held his neck.

 **Cinder looked toward the sound and the sight shocked her.**

 **It was Blake! But this Blake was scared across her face with half of her left feline ear missing. Tied to the end of her spear was the original White Fang flag. Behind her was an army, thousands in strength, beside her was Yang and Weiss swords in hand. And they began trampling the shield wall.**

"TOLD YOU SO!" Ruby cheered.

Blake was too busy holding her cat ears.

"Like mother like daughter?" Coco smiled, "Badass entry if I do say so myself."

 **Jaune made it to the top of the mound where he stared at Cinder. The giant cake up on his left, and Kali with Adam's sword on his right.**

 **The three ran after Cinder who soon retreated to Beacon.**

" **Their army's gone," Cinder shrugged as she dismounted and her men barred the gates to Beacon.**

" **Our army's gone," her general corrected.**

" **We have Beacon," she said with annoyance, "They don't have the men for a siege all we have to do is wait."**

 **SLAM.**

 **Cinder turned to the gate.**

"Did you forget he has a fucking giant?" Velvet deadpanned, "The you know walking fucking siege weapon?"

" **ARCHERS! TO THE WALL!" Her general ordered.**

 **SLAM SLAM SLAM.**

 **CRASH, a fist was seen through the door.**

"See?!" Velvet threw her hands in the air.

 _No no NO!_

 **Archers began firing every arrow they had. But it didn't stop the giant from breaking down the door. He rushed in with Jaune's army behind him. He let out a mighty roar as Jaune's archers began shooting Cinder's.**

 **Jaune and Kali came to the giant as he fell to his knees. Jaune reaches for him only for an arrow to pierce eye.**

 **Jaune looked over and saw Cinder holding a bow.**

" **You suggested one-on-one combat?" Cinder shrugged, "I've reconsidered."**

 **Jaune dropped his sword and picked up a shield nearby. Cinder fires and he blocked. He did this as he moved before slamming the shield into her face!**

 **Once she was on the ground he straddled her and began punching.**

The students, save Cinder and her crew, were cheering.

 **The punches continued, even when they heard bones snapping.**

The cheers slowly died down when they saw Jaune unhinged.

 **Jaune looked up and saw Weiss, he stopped. Cinder's face was coated with blood. Features were swollen and cuts riddled her face. The battle was won.**

"Aside from going a little batty," Taiyang shuddered, "That was perfect."

"He should've kept going," Nora quietly spoke.

"Agreed," Pyrrha and Ren answered.

"It's not his place," Raven said **.**

"What?" Everyone looked at her.

"Kept watching you'll see what I mean."

 **Cinder's banners fell and Beacon's original Crossed axes were flown in the hallways. Two Faunus carried Nora in on a slab of wood. Jaune took her hand, he was grateful for them removing the arrows.**

" **We're going to bury my sister in the crypts, next to Ren and Pyrrha."**

 **The two nodded and carried her away.**

" **Jaune," Weiss waited till he was ready, "Where is she?"**

 **Cinder woke up tied to a chair in a cell. She looked around and saw Weiss.**

" **My beloved pet," She gurgled, "Is this were I'll be staying now?"**

 **Weiss didn't answer.**

" **No. Our time together is about to come to an end. That's alright. You can't kill me. I'm part of you now."**

" **Your words will disappear," Weiss finally spoke, "Your House will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear. You call Jaune a Coward, but you sold your soul for power. What good did that do you? I wonder who's the real Coward here."**

 **Cinder was her hounds gathering. Each one growling at one another.**

" **My hounds will never harm me."**

" **You've been starving them, you said it yourself."**

" **They're loyal beasts."**

" **They were, now they're starving."**

 **Cinder watched her German Shepard jump on her sniffing.**

" **Sit!" She commanded.**

"Oh god," Emerald covered her mouth.

" **Down!" He began licking the blood.**

"Ruby look away," Taiyang ordered, Ruby didn't hesitate to throw her hood over her eyes.

 **Cinder frantically repeated: 'down' but he didn't listen. His jaw snapped on hers and began chewing. Cinder's bloodcurdling screams mixed with barking dogs flooded the theater. Weiss watched until the screams stopped. She turned away, as she walked, her lips began to curl. Before finally smiling.**

"That's why Jaune didn't kill her," Raven explained, "It was her revenge not his."

 **Jaune stood at the table surrounded by lords.**

" **You can't expect Atlesian Knights to side with** **Animalistic Invaders!" General Ironwood shouted.**

" **We didn't invade," Kali Belladonna spoke up, "We were invited."**

" **Not by me," Ironwood scoffed.**

" **The Faunus, the Atlesian, and the Valeans fought bravely, fought together, and we won," Jaune stood up, "My father used to say: "We find our true friends on the battlefield."**

"Wise man," Qrow nodded.

"Really?" Glynda looked over.

"Yeah, think about it. Friendship is truly tested when bullets are coming at you. Do you save yourself or your friends?"

" **The war is over!" Lord Oobleck stood up, "Cinder has been defeated! Winter has come! The reports are right it'll be the coldest one in a thousand years! We should ride home, and wait out the coming storms."**

" **The war is not over," Jaune spoke with a grim tone, "And I promise you friend, the true enemy won't wait out the storm, she brings the storm."**

 _Ha! May have killed me but not her!_

"Damn," Ozpin spat.

 **Oobleck sat back down and the other lords began bickering. That was when a smaller girl wearing a red hood with silver eyes stood up. She glared at the others before finally speaking.**

" **Your son was butchered during the Fall of Beacon Lord Port, but you refused the call," Ruby pointed accordingly, "You swore allegiance to House Arc Lady Goodwitch, but in their hour of greatest need you refused the call, and you Lord Oobleck your father was skinned alive by Cinder Fall, and you refused the call. BUT HOUSE ROSE REMEMBERS! VALE REMEMBERS! WE KNOW NO KING BUT THE KING OF VALE WHOSE NAME IS ARC! I don't care about his past, the Arc blood runs through his veins. He's my king from this day until his last day!"**

"Damn Rubes," Yang nodded, "That's a speech if I've ever heard one."

"I'm so proud of you!" Taiyang gushed.

 **Everyone was silent, Ruby looked around before finally sitting down. The first one to stand was Lord Port.**

" **Lady Rose speaks harshly," he began, "And truly! My Son died for Ozpin during the Fall of Beacon. I didn't commit my men to your cause, because I didn't want more Ports dying for nothing...BUT I WAS WRONG! Jaune Arc avenged The Fall of Beacon! He is the King of Vale!" Port drew his sword and knelt.**

"How Long has it been since the last king?" Port asked.

"I don't remember," Ozpin shook his head, "But one's back."

" **I did not fight beside you on the field," Lady Goodwitch stood, "And I will regret that until my dying day. A woman can only admit when she is wrong and ask forgiveness."**

"I need photographic evidence that this happened!" Qrow took out his scroll.

Glynda rolled her eyes.

 **Jaune shook his head, "There's nothing to forgive My Lady."**

 **Lady Goodwitch let out the breath she was holding, "There will be more fights to come! House Goodwitch will stand behind House Arc as we have for 1000 years! And I will stand behind Jaune Arc." She drew her sword and knelt, "The King of Vale!"**

" **The King of Vale!" Port repeated.**

 **The sounds of swords drawing echoed through the halls.**

" **THE KING OF VALE!" They chanted, "THE KING OF VALE! THE KING OF VALE! THE KING OF VALE!"**

"JAUNE'S KING OF THE CASTLE!" Nora cheered.


	12. (IX) Screaming Souls

**WHY ISNT THIS WORKING?!" Cinder circled a small bowl in the middle of a stone floor, "IS THERE SOMETHING MISSING?! MUST MORE BLOOD BE SHED?!"**

" **You seem to be in a bad mood," Jaune stepped onto the stone floor.**

" **Jaune," Cinder materialized a katana.**

" **So my mother's amulet is the key to unlocking the door to the Grimm world?" Jaune walked around the floor, "Great plan pop."**

" **Just the opposite actually...originally it was the key to the World of Grimm but it was given to humans as a gift."**

" **Doesn't matter to me one way or the other. More importantly," Jaune drew his sword and pointed it at Cinder, "You still have time for one more game right?"**

" **Why not?" Cinder drew her blade, "After all we share the same blood. I'll just use more of yours to undo mommy's little spell."**

" **So you want a piece of me literally? Ok sis, come and take it."**

"There's a world of Grimm?" Ruby asked.

"It's been theorized," Ozpin nodded, "After all we still don't know where they come from, or where they go when they die."

"And Cinder is trying to open the doors for them," Yang narrowed her eyes at her, "It's becoming a theme, isn't it? You're always a bad guy in these."

Cinder merely scoffed at Yang's accusation.

"Are we ignoring the fact they're siblings in this one?" Pyrrha asked.

 _Interesting, rather than save humanity, this Jaune just wants to play with his sister._

 **Both of their blades clashed. Each one hit and parried slicing the other. But both had an insane healing ability that regenerated their wounds instantly.**

"Whoa," Yang watched as they cut and healed each other.

"That's an impressive aura," Pyrrha gasped when their wounds healed just as they were gained.

"Are they even human?" Adam was astounded.

 **Their blood began to coat the floor. When a gun shot was heard. Jaune and Cinder cut the bullet into pieces. Ruby was standing with Crescent Rose's barrel smoking.**

" **Sorry but this is no place for a little girl!" Jaune snarled, "So beat it!"**

" **Shut up!" She fires again.**

 **Ruby ran into the Frey. Cinder and Jaune clashed again. Cinder pushes off Jaune and sent Ruby to the floor. She jumped and twirled in the air with her katana slicing down at Ruby. She blocked with Crescent Rose just in time.**

"So, everyone hates each other," Weiss stared, "That's nice."

"Well It is understandable," Blake shrugged, "One wants to destroy the world and one wants to save it. It's kind of a natural response."

" **You forced him into this!" She glared at Cinder.**

" **Is that what you think?" She shook her head, "Foolish girl."**

 **Jaune attempted to attack, but Cinder pushed off of Ruby and deflected Jaune's attack. Jaune slashed at Cinder, she did the same, Ruby was hesitating, while the two fell to their knees.**

 **That's when clapping was heard.**

"Who's That?" Weiss pointed.

 _Oh great_ Cinder and her crew groaned internally.

"They have an incredible healing ability," Pyrrha noticed, "Is aura capable of that?"

"Not human aura," Ozpin answered, "I don't think this Jaune or Cinder is human."

"Are They Faunus?" Ilia asked.

"I don't think so," Adam shook his head.

"Then what are they?" Nora questioned.

" **Bravo!" Tyrion yelled, "Bravo! I never dreamed things would go this smoothly! Well done, everyone. Well done!"**

" **You!" Jaune used Mors to lift him up.**

 **Ruby aimed Crescent Rose, but Tyrion ran up to her licking his lips, "Don't be a bad girl Ruby."**

 **He used Crescent Rose as leverage to lift Ruby off the ground and slammed her back down, "Or you can expect a spanking from Uncle later! Tyrion's gonna spank your butt, spank you on the butt…"**

" **INSANE BUFFOON," Cinder dragged herself up, "I don't know where you came from, but you don't belong here. Now leave!" Cinder charged, but Tyrion caught her blade with his hands.**

" **Zowie, that was close! But you've taken quite a trouncing haven't you Cinder? You could've chopped me into confetti if you were in tip top condition."**

" **Damn you!" Cinder glared.**

" **You have lost," Qrow's voice heard as Cinder was sent across the room, "Because you underestimated humans."**

" **What's going on?!" Ruby gasped when she saw Qrow with half his face wearing a Grimm mask.**

" **Good girl, pure and innocent," Qrow looked at Ruby, "Just like your mother."**

" **You bastard!" Ruby drew a pistol from her hip.**

" **It's time for your spanking my dear," Tyrion was back, he grabbed a handful of Ruby's hair, and slammed her face into the stone floor.**

"They're Grimm?!" Everyone But Ozpin was shocked.

 _Well,_ Cinder blushed, _I mean, she is a woman, with womanly needs...and those needs resulted in me. Oh god why am I thinking about this?!_

 _I never thought it possible,_ Ozpin raised an eyebrow, _But this is another universe._

" **You want to know why the spell didn't break, hmm, Cinder?" Tyrion asked, "You had the two amulets, and Salem's blood. You had everything you needed to unleash the evil…"**

" **I told you before, I don't like someone who has a bigger mouth than mine," Jaune began shooting at Tyrion, who dodged his bullets with ease.**

" **You are wounded and weak," Tyrion leapt into the air, "Even I can do…" Tyrion slammed his feet into Jaune's face, "THIS TO YOU!"**

"So he's crazy in all of them," Mercury whispered.

"And I want him dead in each one too," Cinder smirked.

" **Two amulets," Qrow was back, "A set of Salem's blood. Now I need one more key. She sacrificed two things to suppress the tremendous force of this tower." He picked up Crescent Rose, "Her own Grimm blood, and a maiden." He drove the tip into Ruby's leg, making her scream in pain, "I needed you, in whose body flows the same blood as the sacrificed maiden. Her spell cannot be undone without your blood!"**

" **It was quite a ride you know," Tyrion ripped the bloody blade from her leg, "If any of you had died before getting here, our little plan would've gone to waste! Therefore, my job was to make you battle each other in order to weaken you." Ruby balled her hand into a fist, "But at the same time, I had to guide you here and make sure you were kept alive." Jaune's hand did the same. "I even went so far as dressing like a complete idiot!" Cinder's grip tightened around her katana. "It's time for bed Ruby. You can visit your dear mother."**

"He did it?" Ruby showed a vicious side no one had seen before.

"Am I being possessed?" Qrow noticed his half face.

"Grimm possessions again," Raven strokes her chin, "I don't like what that implies."

"And what does it imply?" Glynda asked.

"That there might be something like that might exsist in our world too..."

 **Ruby kicked Crescent Rose from his grip, flipped into the air, and pointed her barrel at him, "Try me."**

 **Cinder and Jaune crossed swords behind him.**

" **It's time for the clown to bow out, Tyrion," Cinder warned.**

" **Dude, the show's over," Jaune glared.**

" **Impressive," Qrow nodded, "I expected nothing less from the Devil's Descendants. But aren't you forgetting something Cinder? The spell is broken, what do you think will happen next?"**

 **The bowl from the middle of the room rose from the ground.**

" **Let's welcome chaos," Qrow smiled.**

"So that's the portal?" Ozpin watched the sky open.

 _It's a lot bigger than the one we use, of course this one probably stays open longer too._

 **The floor began glowing red as it trebled and rose. Qrow kicked everyone off balance, the three into each other, then off the ledge.**

" **Just sit and wait," he looked down at them, "Wait for the birth of a new god! I shall take over the power of Salem!"**

 **As Qrow laughed menically, the floor began collapsing around them. Cinder fell into the depths, Ruby was about to follow, but Jaune saved her at the last minute.**

"Phew," Ruby relaxed in her seat.

"Why would a Grimm want to save the world?" Taiyang asked.

"He looks human," Blake pointed, "Maybe he lives with them and he learned about humanity."

"I think you've been reading too much romance there Blakey," Yang chuckled.

"Well how would you explain it?" Weiss asked.

" **Are you gonna go?" Jaune asked staring up at the new tower.**

" **Yes," Ruby nodded, "I'm going to finish him off."**

" **Well you might as well forget it. Cuz, you're no match for him."**

" **Regardless I must go, I had a chance to stop him before but I couldn't. I'm responsible for all this mess."**

" **Responsible? Does it bother you that much?"**

" **That's my uncle. Besides, who else can undo what he's done?" Ruby aimed Crescent Rose and fired. The head extended latching onto some stone, "A Grimm like you, wouldn't understand." She pressed a button and was taken away.**

" **Family huh?" Jaune looked at the hole where Cinder fell, "I'll come too. But you'd better hurry! If you don't want me to take all the credit!"**

"Come on Fearless leader!" Nora cheered, "Be the first one to save the world!"

"Nora," Ren spoke, "Saving the world isn't a competition."

"But Jaune's gonna win."

"Nora..."

 **Ruby was leaning against a bookshelf, panting, trying to catch her breath. When Jaune walked in.**

" **What's wrong you tired?" Jaune flaunted his Grimm stamina at her, "Then stand back, I'll take care of this."**

" **No, YOU stand back!" Ruby aimed her pistol at him.**

 **Jaune spun around, put the gun to his stomach, and Ruby fired. He didn't even flinch at the gunshot.**

"Did I mention that his healing is insane?" Pyrrha gasped when he was shot.

 _I think I'd be fine with just that!_ Cinder gawked knowing she had the same healing as Jaune.

" **I told you," Jaune was serious, "You can't do it. Don't you get it? This is not a human's job."**

" **You're the one who doesn't get it," Ruby defied, "It's not something you can reason with. It has nothing to do with me being a human and you being a Grimm."**

 **She freed her gun and pointed it at his chest, "I'm driven by the inability to forgive him. My soul is screaming, demanding me to kill him."**

 **Jaune took her gun away.**

" **That's enough motivation to keep me going," Ruby backed away and put Crescent Rose on her back, "Besides, this is my family matter. You should stay out of it."**

" **Ok Lady," Jaune turned around, "I get the picture now. But I can't just sit back and watch either. I'm pretty pissed at him too, ya know." He tossed her gun back at her, only to draw his guns, "Now, get out of my way or there'll be some consequences."**

" **Fair enough," Ruby readied Crescent Rose, "I wasn't planning on letting any Grimm live anyway. Not even one."**

"I know killing Grimm is our job Rubes but damn," Yang watched her little sister express such ferocity.

 **Ruby backed into the wall, she kept firing until she ran out of bullets. Jaune was casually walking up to her, either shrugging them off or they missed entirely.**

" **I'll take care of him," he leaned his hand against the wall behind her then pushed off of it.**

" **Why do you care so much?" Ruby asked.**

" **This whole business started with my mother sealing the entrance to the two worlds," Jaune explained, "And now my sister is trying to break that spell and turn everything into Grimmiville. This is my family matter too."**

 **Ruby looked down ashamed.**

" **Quite frankly," Jaune sighed, "At first I didn't give a damn. But because of you, I know what's important now. I know what I need to do."**

 **Jaune began walking away.**

" **Wait!" Ruby called out.**

" **Trust me!" Jaune made the tails of his Pumpkin Pete trench coat flap, "I'll make things right for you. That's what my soul is telling me to do."**

" **Use this," she held out Crescent Rose.**

" **How much is it going to cost me?" Jaune held it but Ruby didn't let go.**

" **You could give me your name,"**

" **Jaune,"**

 **Ruby smiled at let go, Jaune slung it over his shoulder.**

" **Jaune," Ruby called out again, "Please free my uncle."**

" **I will, Lady," Once Jaune exited the library he noticed something carved into the handle, "Summer Rose," he whispered.**

That addition wasn't on Ruby's original Crescent Rose, But she knew once she got home what she was gonna add.

"I never imagined you'd give away Crescent Rose," Taiyang watched Ruby slump against a bookshelf.

"I'll get her back," Ruby wasn't worried, "I know I will."

 **Jaune was staring up into the portal to the Grimm world in the sky, "Let's wrap up this crazy party shall we?"**

 **Jaune was walked into a cave like room, when a blade came down on him. He blocked and sent his attacker away.**

" **Welcome," the distorted voice spoke, "What do you think after looking at your mother's image?"**

" **It's like staring into a backed up toilet," He pointed his sword at her, "Why do you always stick your nose into other family's business? Come on dude. Don't you have any hobbies?"**

 **Salem laughed at him, Jaune began laughing as well.**

" **You can still talk big after seeing THIS!?" Salem's body expanded, "I feel the Grimm's power overflowing my body! The power of Salem!" she turned into a giant purple orb thing.**

" **Dude, my mother wasn't so hideous," Jaune scoffed, "Can't you tell by looking at me? Anyway that shape suits you better. Let's begin the main event!"**

 _Trying to steal my power, I will cheer Jaune on in hopes you die painfully._

"I cannot believe this," Ozpin glared.

"Oz?" Qrow was surprised seeing him like this.

"Even dead her power still threatens us all," Ozpin tried relaxing, "Will we ever be rid of her?"

" **Regardless of how strong you are, you're nothing but a half-breed," Tyrion the Blob taunted, "You cannot defeat a pure Grimm, the real Salem!"**

 **An arm shot out of the blob and was headed for Jaune. At the last second it was severed! Jaune looked up and saw Cinder with a giant hole she cut behind her.**

" **Damn you!" Tyrion screamed.**

 _Me to the rescue! This is actually entertaining!_

" **I've come to retrieve my power," She declared, "You can't handle it." She jumped down and pointed her katana at Jaune.**

" **Look at you," Jaune scoffed, "Making a big dramatic entrance and stealing my spotlight."**

" **Well," Cinder smiled, "You don't possibly believe that he deserves to be our main event now do you?" she used her katana to throw Tyrion's severed hand back at him.**

" **Now that you mention it, you're right."**

 **The two began walking toward the blob.**

"D-Did she just tell a joke?" Mercury looked at Emerald whose jaw was on the floor.

"I can be funny," Cinder pouted.

" **Do you feel you can defeat me?" he yelled, "Defeat the power of your mother, the goddess Salem?"**

" **You should come to realize you cannot control the power of Salem," Cinder held up her finger and wagged it at him.**

" **You're wasting your time buddy," Jaune pointed his sword, "I think he needs to learn the hard way."**

 **Cinder looked at her brother before charging to the left, while Jaune charged right.**

"Two half breeds vs a full fledged Grimm," Ren leaned back, "Think they have a chance?"

"Now that they're working together," Pyrrha nodded, "I believe that they do."

"Fearless Leader and his sister the Grimm Queen!" Nora announced like a game show, "Who will win?!"

 **The two pierced its sides, but it shook them off. The blades were still in its sides. Cinder used an open palm strike to push her katana in, while Juane jumped into the air and kicked it in. The blades clashed inside before exiting.**

 **As if they'd been using them their entire lives, Cinder and Jaune handled each other's blades flawlessly. Cinder went for a low strike, while Jaune cut above. Once Jaune landed by her side they tossed their weapons back to one another.**

" **IT CANNOT BE!" Tyrion cried, "YOU CANNOT!"**

 **Jaune drew his guns for the finishing blow.**

" **DIE!" Tyrion slapped Ebony out of his hand, only for Cinder to catch it.**

" **I'll try it your way for once," Cinder aimed at Tyrion.**

" **Remember what we used to say?" Jaune's comment made Cinder smile.**

" **DON'T DO IT!" Tyrion begged.**

" **JACKPOT!" they said as they fired their aura infused bullets.**

" **I HAVE THE TRUE POWER OF SALEM!" Tyrion cried.**

" **Not very classy for someone's dying words," Cinder tossed Ebony back to Jaune.**

 **Once the blob faded away, their mother's sword floated for a moment before dropping below into the abyss. Cinder and Jaune leapt in after it. While chasing the sword, both caught their respective amulets.**

Nora cheered, "I knew they could do it!"

 _That was truly satisfying._

"Lucky," Mercury whispered, "I wanted to do that."

"Maybe you can in our world," Cinder patted his shoulder.

 **Ruby was walking up the steps and stood looking up at the portal to the Grimm world. Falling from the portal screaming at the top of his lungs was Qrow.**

" **Why?" he strained trying to pick himself up, "How could I…?! I shall become a god! No one here can stop me!"**

 **Ruby looked down at him as he tried to crawl away, "What a surprise. Here I was looking for you and, lo and behold, you come to me."**

" **Ruby…" he looked up at her.**

" **Don't ever call me that again," she glared, "My mother was the only one who could say my name."**

" **Wait, please! DO you really want to shoot me? Can you shoot me, your dear old Uncle Qrow? What have I done wrong?! Even the heroic Salem sacrificed a woman to that she could become a legend! I wished to be a god! And I sacrificed one miserable human being for that reason. That is all! Was that really so awful? I have some unfinished business to take care of. Help me, Ruby."**

"I-I think I know what's going on..." Ruby squeaked out.

"What do you mean?" Taiyang asked with a tilted head.

"W-Where's Yang?" Ruby held back her tears.

Taiyang and Yang were silent. Both thought about it and they grew angry. Unbeknownst to them a certain Raven was digging into her armrests. Qrow was more surprised at this than the screen.

" **Ruby died a long time ago, my name is Lady. Goodbye Uncle Qrow."**

" **NO!"**

 **Gunshots filled the air.**

"You got your vengeance," Raven sighed, "Thank you." She whispered hoping no one heard her. But a certain Qrow did.

 **Ruby stepped back and fell down laughing. Her laughs soon turned into cries, "Here I thought I wasn't gonna cry."**

"Human kills are never easy," Ozpin spoke up, "We pray you never have to, but eventually somewhere down the road you will have to take a human life."

"How do you get over it?" Yang asked.

"You don't," Ozpin answered, "But one day you wake up and you won't mind the burden."

 **Salem's sword landed in a shallow river by the edge of a waterfall. Jaune and Cinder landed away from it. Jaune ran, but Cinder rolled and pulled it from the ground. She saw the amulet in his hand.**

" **Give that to me," She pointed.**

" **No way," Jaune hid it behind his back, "You've got your own!"**

" **Well I want yours too," she pointed the sword at him.**

" **What are you gonna do with all that power huh?" Jaune legitametly asked, "No matter how hard you try, you're never gonna be like mother."**

"Hey Cinder," Mercury leaned over, "I've been wondering that myself."

"I," Cinder hesitated, "I hadn't thought about it..."

" **YOU'RE WASTING TIME!" Cinder charged, Jaune drew his sword and attacked as she did.**

"It was nice while it lasted," Yang sighed.

" **We," Jaune struggled holding his sword while holding Cinder's, "Are the children of Salem. Within each of us flows her blood, but more importantly, her soul!" They pushed each other back, "And my soul is saying it wants to stop you!"**

 **Cinder laughed, "Unfortunately our souls are at odds brother. I NEED MORE POWER."**

" **And we're supposed to be twins."**

" **Twins...right."**

 _I need more power. Nothing else matters, right? Give me more power._

"Do they have to fight?" Ruby thought about her fights with Yang. She never imagined their fights escalating like this...

"She won't quit," Yang answered.

 **As the final blow was struck, "Jaune" was echoed through the air.**

" **Am I," Cinder was kneeling in the river, "Being defeated?"**

" **What's wrong ?" Jaune huffed, "Is that all you got?! Come on get up, you can do better than that!"**

 **Cinder clenched her fist as she rose to her feet. The world started to shake around them.**

" **The portal to the human world is closing Jaune!" Cinder balanced herself, "Because the amulets have been separated."**

" **Let's finish this Cinder," Jaune spoke with a grim tone, "I have to stop you. Even if it means killing you."**

"Jaune wouldn't kill his sister would he?" Nora looked around.

"She has to be stopped," Pyrrha answered, "She'll flood the world with Grimm."

"But he doesn't have to kill her," Nora wanted to cover her eyes, but kept watching.

 **Cinder readied her long sword, Jaune readied Coras Mors, and they charged at each other. Cinder brought her sword down, but Jaune slashed low. Cutting into her chest spraying blood everywhere.**

 **Cinder dropped her sword and her amulet.**

" **No one can have this Jaune," Cinder picked up her amulet and began limping backwards toward the waterfall, "It's mine, it belongs to the Daughter of Salem."**

 **Once Cinder reached the edge, Jaune rushed forward, but Cinder raised her katana to his neck.**

" **Leave me and go, if you don't want to be trapped in the Grimm World. I'm staying, this place was our mother's home."**

 **Cinder leaned off the edge. Jaune reaches out, but Cinder cut his hand before he could grab her. With that she disappeared over the edge. He waited for a moment, just staring over the edge. He took her sword and left.**

"She knew it too," Cinder whispered.

"What?" Pyrrha asked.

"She knew she wouldn't stop," Cinder replied, "She, I, sacrificed myself to keep the human world safe."

Everyone remained silent.

 **Ruby was standing outside the tower staring at the night sky. She jumped as she turned around.**

" **What an ordeal," Jaune sighed, with Crescent Rose slung over his shoulder, "You're still here?"**

" **I need that back," Ruby pointed.**

" **No late charges I hope," He held it out to her.**

" **I'll think about it," Ruby took her baby back.**

 **Jaune stepped behind her, "We should be fine for now. But I'm sure they'll be back. Soon, very soon." Jaune let out a small gasp gaining Ruby's attention.**

" **Are you crying?" She asked.**

" **It's only the rain," he looked away from her.**

" **The rain already stopped," she held her hand out.**

" **The Grimm don't cry," Jaune dismissed.**

" **I see," Ruby nodded, "Maybe somewhere out there even a Grimm may cry when he loses a loved one. Don't you think?"**

"I-Is that even possible?" Ruby looked at everyone.

"Of course not," Weiss dismissed, "They're mindless beasts with no remorse for human lives."

"Human lives," Ruby emphasized, "What do they feel when we kill them in front of others?"

Weiss stared at her partner with wide eyes.

Oobleck wanted to answer, but even he didn't have a theory.

" **By the way," Ruby drew a pistol and shot beside him at the Beowolfs surrounding them, "Looks like we're going to be busy for a while."**

" **We'll bring it on," Jaune smiled, "I love this! This is what I live for!" He drew his twin pistols, "I'M ABSOLUTELY CRAZY ABOUT IT!"**

"Dude Yes!" Yang cheered, "That was a heavy ending."

"I don't think it's over," Blake pointed at the screen.

" **What happened next?" Ruby voiced over a shot of the moon, "Nothing really. We took care of all the remaining Grimm and that was it."**

 **Jaune was standing outside his store smiling at the completion.**

" **I still have a job to do that's far from done, which is to eliminate every last Grimm. I need to ensure monsters like Tyrion never come about again. And he promised to help hunt down the Grimm, even though he's part one himself!"**

 **Jaune stepped into the shop. His jukebox and speakers, pool table, couch, and desk.**

" **But now I realize that there are humans as evil as any Grimm. As well as kind and compassionate Grimm in this universe. At least I've found one so-called Grimm who is able to shed tears for those he cares about."**

 **Jaune kicked his chair. As it spun in the air it landed on all fours and he kicked his feet on his desk.**

" **That's enough for me to believe in him."**

" **Now I can start my business," Jaune smiled.**

" **Speaking of a kind Grimm, he finally picked a name for his shop. It took him quite a while to pick one."**

 **The phone began to ring. Jaune slammed his foot on the desk and the phone flew into his hand.**

" **Wanna know the name?"**

" **Grimm May Cry," the final shot was of a neon sign while Jaune and Ruby said those words.**


	13. (I-III) Dreaming of Jaune

**Pyrrha took the stage in an elegant white flowing dress. Her hair in her trademark ponytail.**

Nora and Ruby gasped, "Pyrrha, you look so beautiful!"

Pyrrha blushed with embarrassment.

"What's the occasion P-Money?" Yang examined the dress.

"I-I have no idea," Pyrrha never imagined wearing a dress so nice.

"She's about to sing," Weiss blurted out.

"How do you know?" Blake asked.

"Trust me," Weiss sighed deeply.

 **Pyrrha took a deep breath.**

 **Late at night when all the world is sleeping**

 **I stay up and think of you**

 **And I wish on a star**

 **That somewhere you are thinking of me too**

 **'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight**

 **'Til tomorrow, I'll be holding you tight**

 **And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be**

 **Than here in my room dreaming about you and me**

 **Wonder if you ever see me, and I**

 **Wonder if you know I'm there**

 **If you looked in my eyes**

 **Would you see what's inside?**

 **Would you even care?**

 **I just want to hold you close**

 **But so far, all I have are dreams of you**

 **So I wait for the day, and the courage to say**

 **How much I love you**

 **(yes I do)**

 **'Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight**

 **'Til tomorrow, I'll be holding you tight**

 **And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be**

 **Than here in my room dreaming about you and me**

 **Corazon, I can't stop dreaming of you**

 **No puedo dejar de pensar en ti**

 **I can't stop dreaming**

 **Como te nesesito**

 **I can't stop dreaming of you**

 **Mi amor como teextrano**

 **Late at night when all the world is sleeping**

 **I stay up and think of you**

 **And I still can't believe**

 **That you came up to me and said I love you**

 **I love you too**

 **Dreaming all tonight**

 **Till tomorrow and for all of my life**

 **And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be**

 **Than here in my room dreaming with you endlessly**

"Pyrrha," Ruby rubbed her eyes, "That was beautiful."

Pyrrha herself was crying. Too much to answer. She knew who the song was about. She prayed that he was hear to hear her confession. Even if it was an alternate dimension or whatever, the message was the same.

The crowd, even some of the boys were in tears.

 ***BANG***


	14. (X) Civil War (Non-Canon)

**MARRY CHRISTMAS FROM JAPAN**

 **(Also, I have no idea what happened earlier, it was posted, then it wasn't. Now here we are.)**

 **(Third time's the charm, hopefully.)  
.**

"Before we go on," Nora raised her hand, "Does Beacon really have its own crypt?"

"Yes," Ozpin answered, "You're not the first Orphan to come to Beacon Ms. Valkyrie. Those who don't make it to graduation are down there, or sometimes the family of their teammates takes their body out of respect or love."

"That's nice," Roman appeared with Neo by his side, "I mean that too."

Everyone gasped, Ironwood rose to his feet.

"How did you get free?!" Ironwood and Winter demanded.

 **"Me again," WarThunder was back on stage, "I figured he should join in too, but there must be balance. Here's a little trick I think you'll enjoy."**

An enormous rose began to sprout on stage. Once it began opening a white hood was seen. The hood jumped through the screen.

"Hello," Summer Rose waved.

"MOM!" Ruby leapt from her seat and collided with her mother. The two cried as they embraced each other. Taiyang and Yang rushed to join her.

The theater, including the bad eggs, remained respectfully silent.

Qrow tried to get up, but Raven held him back.

"Later," she whispered, "We'll see her later, for now let them have this."

 **"Now I know you're all waiting for Evil Jaune, but has anyone ever told you: "A villain is a hero in their own mind"? This'll actually be up to you, is this Jaune really evil? In fact, ask yourself that for all of them." WarThunder disappeared.**

"That was ominous," Nora shuddered.

"So, Jaune won't be a bad guy in this one?" Ruby asked.

"That depends on our personal beliefs," Pyrrha answered, "A good guy to us, may be a bad guy for someone else."

 **"I had a heart attack," General Ironwood stood in front of a table with Jaune, Ruby, Weiss, Nora, Blake, Ren, Yang, and Cinder, "I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the greatest game of my life, because after 13hours of surgery and a triple bypass…I found something 40years in the military had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes all of you an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives for us, but while a great many people see you as heroes there are some would prefer the term vigilantes."**

"People really don't see the huntsman like that do they?" Nora cheerfully asked the question, but was slowly put down when she was met with silence.

"Unfortunately," Ozpin answered, "He is correct."

 **"What word would you use Mr. Secretary?" Cinder asked.**

Ironwood smirked at his new title.

 **"How about dangerous?" Ironwood answered, "What would you call a group of enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose., and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"**

"That's not true at all!" Nora protested.

"Nora," Ren answered, "Think about it, we don't believe it because we're the ones saving people, but from an outsider looking in."

"This'll be interesting," Ironwood leaned back.

"I just noticed something," Kali tapped Blake's side, "You don't have your bow on."

Blake immediately focused on her parallel self. Kali was right she didn't have her bow on, and this one had both of her ears too.

 **"Vale," the TV behind Ironwood showed footage of them defending Vale from the breach, "Civilian Casualties: 74, overall losses: 88."**

 **"Beacon," the tv switched, "Civilian Casualties: 23. Overall losses: 208."**

 **"Mistral," the screen showed buildings falling while the grimm attacked, "Civilian Casualties: 177. Overall losses: 474."**

 **"Atlas," the footage looks recent, "Civilian Casualties: 14. Overall Losses: 26."**

 **The young students on and off the screen were having difficulties watching the screen.**

"Are there any more drinks?" Glynda asked.

The teacher's cups were filled with something stronger than soda.

"You'd think it'd get easier," Ironwood drank, "But it doesn't."

"Those numbers could be worse," Qrow drank.

"Be better if they didn't happen at all," Ozpin sighed.

 **"Ok," Jaune finally spoke, "That's enough."**

 **Ironwood nodded and turned the screen off.**

 **"For the past four years you've acted with unlimited power and no supervision," Ironwood explained, "That's an arrangement the councils can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." He was given what looked like a novel and he gave it to Blake, "The Beacon Accords. Approved by 177 cities across the Four Kingdoms. It states that the Inner Circle shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a Council's Eyes. Only when and if those eyes deem it necessary."**

 **"The Inner Circle was formed to make the world a safer place," Jaune answered, "I feel we've done that."**

 **"Tell me, Jaune, do you know where Ozpin and Pyrrha are right now?"**

 **Jaune looked up with a glare.**

 **"If I misplaced a couple of 30megaton nukes you'd bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."**

"Are we weapons?" Pyrrha asked.

"I believe we're the strongest," Ozpin thought about the situation, "At least out of the current group."

 **"So," Weiss took the book, "There are contingences?"**

 **"Three days from now the Councils meet in Vale to ratify the accords," Ironwood answered.**

 **Jaune looked back at Ruby who hadn't spoken a word throughout the entire presentation.**

 **"Talk it over," Ironwood began leaving.**

 **"If we come to a decision you don't like?" Cinder asked.**

 **"Then you retire," Ironwood simply said.**

"So friendly," Mercury mocked.

I'm a good guy? Cinder thought Or, am I just infiltrating?

"I think I know what WarThunder meant from the beginning…" Winter held Weiss' hand.

 **"Secretary Ironwood has a Congressional Medal of Honor," Weiss lectured Nora, "Which is one more than you have."**

 **"So, let's say we agree to this thing," Nora retorted, "How long will it be before they lo-jack us like a bunch of common thugs?!"**

 **"117 cities want to sign this Nora," Weiss sighed, "117! You're just like: "No, that's cool, we got this."**

 **"How long are you going to play both sides?!" Nora demanded.**

"Yeah!" Nora leapt up.

"What?" Weiss asked.

"We are doing good things," Nora explained, "We are helping people, isn't that what we are meant to do? Isn't that the job we all signed up for?"

 **"I have an equation," Ren interrupted.**

 **"This'll clear things up!" Nora pointed to Ren.**

 **"In the eight years since the Inner Circle was revealed," Ren began, "The number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."**

 **"Are you saying it's our fault?" Jaune looked up from the accords.**

 **"I'm saying there may be a causality," Ren clarified, "Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight. Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."**

 **"Exactly,"** Wiess on screen and off said.

 **"Ruby," Cinder gained the attention of everyone, "You're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."**

 **"It's because she's already made up her mind," Jaune sighed.**

 **"Boy you know me so well," Ruby stood up, "Actually I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on Jaune, it's just pain." Ruby walked into a nearby kitchen, "It's discomfort. Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?"**

 **Ruby almost cried when she pulled out her scroll and it projected a picture of Velvet.**

"Oh no," Coco gasped.

 **"Remember Velvet?" Ruby asked, "Velvet was always a kind soul. She joined the White Fang and deiced her skills were better set for building shelters for the homeless Faunus."**

"Wait, what?" Adam cleaned his ears, "Are the White Fang not a problem here?"

"Seems peace was the way to go after all," Blake snorted.

"Can I live here?" Ilia asked.

"I don't like where her speech is going," Ghira shook his head.

 **"She didn't go Menagerie their homeland," Ruby shook her head, "She didn't go to Atlas or Vacuo, which is what I'd have done. She didn't remain in Vale, guess where she went, MISTRAL! She wanted to make a difference I suppose, we won't know because we dropped a fucking building on her while we were kicking ass."**

"Still think we're doing good Nora?" Wiess barely whispered.

"Y-Yes?" Nora wasn't filled with energy as she was before.

Coco held onto a trembling Velvet.

"You're getting a lot of heavy speeches aren't you Rubes?" Yang tried to lighten the mood.

 **"There's no decision-making process here," Ruby resumed, "We need to be put in check! Whatever form that takes, I'm game. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, then we're no better than the bad guys."**

"Well," Ironwood smiled, "Nice to see your students are mature about this."

"She does have a good point," Glynda agreed.

 **"Ruby," Jaune looked at her, "Someone dies on your watch, you don't give up."**

 **"Who said we're giving up?"**

 **"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame."**

 **"I'm sorry, Jaune," Wiess interrupted, "That is dangerously arrogant. These are the Councils we're talking about. It's not Ozpin, Salem, or Raven."**

 **"No but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change," Jaune defended himself.**

 **"That's good," Ruby snapped, "That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down, and stopped manufacturing them."**

 **"Ruby, you chose to do that. If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose. What if they send us somewhere we don't think we should go? What if there's somewhere we need to go, and they won't let us? We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."**

 **"If we don't do this now, it's going to be done to us later. That's the fact. That won't be pretty."**

"I make weapons in the future?" Ruby had stars in her eyes from that.

"Ignore everything else that was said," Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

"They're both right," Pyrrha thought about what they both said, "This is building up to something bad…"

 **"Maybe Ruby's right," Cinder voiced her opinion.**

 **Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE on screen and off looked at Cinder.**

 **"If we have one hand on the wheel, we can still steer. If we take it off…"**

 **"Aren't you the same woman who told the councils to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Nora asked.**

Cinder laughed at that statement.

"Nice," Mercury high-fived her.

"That's just like you isn't it," Emerald sighed.

 **"I'm just reading the terrain, we have made some very public mistakes. We need to win their trust back."**

 **Jaune's scroll went off. The message read: "We found her."**

 **"I have to go," Jaune left the room.**

"Who did they find?" Ruby asked.

"Probably Pyrrha," Qrow nodded, "Unless Oz is a woman in this one."

"Honestly wouldn't be the weirdest thing I've seen today," Ozpin sighed.

 **Outside a skyscraper in Vale, several reporters spoke to their respective cameras. Each one speaking a different language explaining the accords. Ilia Amitola stood inside the skyscraper staring down at them.**

 **"Excuse me, Ms. Fall?" A voice caught Ilia's attention, "These need your signature."**

 **She approached as Cinder finished signing the accords.**

 **"I suppose neither of us is used to the spotlight," Ilia spoke turning Cinder around.**

 **"It's not always so flattering," Cinder half-smiled.**

Weiss and Pyrrha shared a familiar glance at one another. They squeezed each other's hand. Their first meeting was less favorable for both parties. But after a while, walls came down, and both realized that they hated their fame. And with thatcher, a true friendship was born.

 **"You seem to be doing alright so far," Ilia consoled, "Considering your last trip to Beacon Academy." The comment made Cinder smile, "I wouldn't think you'd be particularly comfortable in this company."**

 **"Well," Cinder's smile fell, "I'm not."**

 **"That alone makes me glad you are here, Ms. Fall," Ilia confessed.**

 **"Why? You don't approve of all this?" Cinder asked.**

 **"The accords, yes," Ilia nodded, "The politics, not really. Two people in one room, can get more done than one hundred."**

 **"Unless you need to move a piano," Adam approached them.**

"D-Did you just tell a joke?" Blake was flabbergasted.

"I can be funny!" Adam declared.

"What's wrong with the politics?" Ruby asked gaining the attention of everyone, "What? Shouldn't more people be a good thing?"

"Not necessarily," Ghira answered, "Two people can calmly discuss their opinions and differences and come to an agreement. One hundred people all trying to have their voice heard, someone gets left out, that person may go over the edge."

It took a minute but Ruby caught on to what Ghira was saying.

 **"High Leader Taurus," Cinder bowed.**

 **"Ms. Fall," Adam bowed back.**

 **"Please allow me to apologize for the incident in Menagerie," Cinder said.**

 **"Thank you," Adam sighed, "Thank you for agreeing to all of this. I'm sad to hear Jaune Arc won't be joining us today."**

 **"Yes," Cinder frowned, "So am I."**

"Jaune-Jaune isn't there?" Nora looked at Ren.

"He was quite vocal about his objections," Ren answered, "It makes sense he wouldn't be there."

"He's making a mistake," Ironwood spoke up.

"Anyone who doesn't follow the rules is making a mistake with you Jimmy," Qrow snarled.

 **Cinder took her seat. Adam said something to Ilia in a tongue no one recognized. They both laughed, and Ilia responded in the same tongue. Ilia kissed his ring and the two departed.**

"What?" Yang stared at the screen.

"For someone who disapproves of diplomacy," Blake repeated what Adam said, "You are getting rather good at it."

"I am happy High Leader," Ilia repeated herself. Ironic, she hated repeating herself.

"Faunus have their own language?" Yang asked Blake.

"We do," Blake smiled, "It's actually the dominant language in Menagerie."

"How come you don't use it at Beacon?" Ruby asked.

"My teammates are three humans, would you even know what I was saying?"

 **"When stolen White Fang technology was used to make a terrible weapon," Adam addressed the crowd, "We in Menagerie were forced to question our legacy. Those human and Faunus killed in Atlas were part of a goodwill mission from a land too long in the shadows. We will not, however, let misfortune drive us back. We will fight to improve the world we wish to join. I am grateful for the Inner Circle for supporting this initiative. Menagerie is proud to extend its hand in peace."**

To say everyone was surprised would be an understatement. Sound had left the theater, if someone blinked, it could be heard.

Blake couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. It was like a dream come true for her. This was the future she wanted for her people, not only that, it was Adam speaking the words. This Adam filled everything he said with passion, he was trying to lead them toward violence, nor manipulate them to his side, he truly wanted peace. That was the Adam she fell for, and the one a part of her wished was still in there.

"What's Ilia doing?" Ruby pointed.

Everyone snapped back to the screen.

 **Ilia was staring out the window at a news van where the door was open and dogs where barking all around it. The cop who opened the door jumped back.**

 **"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" Ilia screamed as she charged at Adam, but the van exploded.**

 **Ilia crawled through the debris and found Adam's body. She shook it wildly checking for a pulse, but found none, Adam was dead.**

Blake couldn't help but shed a tear, that was the Adam she fell in love with. In her world he was gone, but in that one he was still there. He even surpassed her father without violence!

Ilia was shocked at her reactions. She didn't like Adam personally, but she agreed with his views and actions. She assumed this Ilia did the same.

 **"Jaune," Nora ran up to him, "You need to see this."**

 **Lisa Lavender was reporting on the TV, "The bomb was hidden in a news van and ripped through the Council Building. 70people are injured, 12are dead, including the White Fang's High Leader Adam Taurus. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as Pyrrha Nikos, the Fall Maiden, the infamous assassin linked to numerous acts of terrorism, political assassinations, and a direct link to Salem herself."**

"Damn P-Money," Yang chuckled, "Quite the rap sheet."

"I couldn't..." Pyrrha gasped, "I wouldn't..."

"We know you wouldn't Ms. Nikos," Ozpin's words calmed her down.

I **lia sat on a bench eyes overflowing with emotion as she twirled Adam's ring in her hand.**

 **"I'm very sorry," Cinder sat on the bench across from her.**

 **Ilia quickly glanced at Cinder, then went back to twirling the ring. "In our culture, death is not the end. It's more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where you can run forever."**

 **"That sounds very peaceful," Cinder smiled.**

 **Ilia turned blue as she looked at her, "Adam thought so." Ilia then turned red, "I am not Adam."**

 **"Ilia," Cinder didn't move, "The Enforcers will decide who brings in Nikos."**

 **"Don't bother, Ms. fall," Ilia stood up, "I'll kill her myself." She turned and walked away.**

"Is that true?" Ruby asked the Faunus in the room.

"You're a curious one aren't you?" Ghira smiled, "That's one part of it, there's one where when we die, we become our full animal forms and live in harmony in the Enchanted Forests."

"My parents liked that one," Ilia smiled.

 **A convoy was paraded through the streets of Atlas. There were two bigger trucks in the middle. One had Pyrrha inside a steel cage surrounded by armed guards. The second had Jaune, Nora, and Ilia.**

 **"So, you like cats?" Nora asked Ilia.**

 **"Nora," Jaune glanced at her.**

 **"What?" Nora shrugged, "Girl shows up dressed like a cat, and you don't wanna know more?"**

 **"Your suit," Jaune asked, "It's vibrainium?"**

"What?" Yang asked.

"That's the strongest metal on Remnant!" Ruby blurted, "Come on Yang! I've told you this's a thousand times!"

 **Ilia looked back at Jaune, "The Black Panther has been the protector of The Faunus for generations. A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because your friend murdered Adam, I also wear the mantle of High Leader. So, I ask you, as both warrior and High Leader: "How long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?"**

Ghira ran his hand over his panther pauldron.

Ilia was conflicted to say the least, considering Ghira was the current. She felt crushed under the pressure she was receiving from the other Faunus in the room. She even turned green from the nausea.

 **Pyrrha's cell was rolled out of the truck and taken into the facility. Her and Jaune were barely able to see one another. Jaune was lead a different way to Winter Schnee.**

 **"What's going to happen to her?" Jaune demanded.**

 **"Same thing that should happen to you," Winter responded, "Psychological Evaluation and extradition."**

 **"What about a lawyer?" Jaune asked.**

 **"Lawyer," Winter scoffed, "That's cute. See that their weapons are placed in lock up. We'll write you a receipt."**

 **"I better not look out the window and see someone flying around in those," Nora warned as she watched her wings and hammer get taken away.**

"Ren," Nora watched.

"Nora no," Ren answered immediately.

"Nora YES," Nora began thinking of different ways to build wings.

 **"You'll be provided an office instead of a cell," Winter spoke as she walked, "Do me a favor and stay in it."**

 **"I don't intend on going anywhere," Ilia responded.**

 **"For the record," Cinder caught up with Jaune, "This is what making it worse looks like."**

 **"She's alive," was all Jaune had to say.**

 **"Cornel Schnee is supervising clean up," Ruby spoke on a scroll.**

 **"Try not to break anything while we fix this," Cinder approached Ruby.**

 **"Consequences?" Ruby asked, "You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that because I just said it. Anything else? Thank you." Ruby hung up.**

 **"Consequences?" Jaune asked.**

 **"Secretary Ironwood wants you both prosecuted," Ruby explained, "Had to give him something."**

 **"I'm not getting my shield back am I?" Jaune watched her walk to Cinder.**

 **"Technically it's the government's property," Cinder responded, "Wings too!"**

 **"That's cold," Nora shook her head.**

 **"Warmer than jail!" Ruby called back.**

"Did my sister join the military in this world?" Winter almost cooed, "I approve."

"Maybe we joined together?" Weiss pondered, "Or I joined as soon as I could, following you. This is pretty interesting."

"The Schnee Sisters," Ironwood smiled, "That is a wonderful idea."

 **"Hey," Ruby entered a room with Jaune, "Wanna see something cool? I pulled something from Weiss' storage unit. Felt Timely," Ruby placed a set of pens in front of Jaune, "The Warrior King of Vale used these to sign the treaty that turned Remnant into what it is now. What's it called? An olive branch?"**

 **Jaune smiled at Ruby, "So, you and Weiss finally figure everything out?"**

 **"We're kinda..."**

 **"Pregnant?"**

 **"As much as I'd like, no. Kinda taking a break..."**

 **"I'm so sorry Rubes, I didn't know."**

 **"Few years a go, I almost lost her so I trashed all my suits. Then we had to mop up Salem, and then Mistral, which was my fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because the truth is I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her, so I thought the accords could split the difference. In her defense, I'm a handful."**

"Handful is kind of an understatement," Weiss giggled when Ruby glare/pouted at her.

"She's not wrong," Taiyang ruffled Ruby's hair.

"I hate the both of you," Ruby pouted.

Summer giggled at her family's antics.

 **"I don't mean to make things difficult," Jaune finally answered.**

 **"I know because you're a very polite person," Ruby stood up.**

 **"If I see a situation pointed south I can't ignore it," Jaune turned in his chair to face her, "Sometimes I wish I could."**

 **"No you don't," Ruby shook her head.**

 **"You're right," Jaune chuckled, "Sometimes..."**

 **"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth," Ruby scolded.**

"That's usually my line," Yang faked offense.

"I don't wanna punch Jaune!" Ruby quickly raised her hands in defense against a menacing NPR.

 **"But I don't wanna see you gone," Ruby sighed, "We need you Jaune. So far nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We'll make the last couple of days legit, Pyrrha gets transferred to a psychiatric ward in Vale instead of a prison in Menagerie."**

 **Jaune picked up a pen, "I'm not saying it's impossible, but there would have to be safeguards."**

 **"Sure," Ruby let out a breath, "Once, we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'll file a motion to have you and Blake reinstated."**

 **"Blake?" Jaune asked, "What about Blake?"**

 **"She's fine, she confined to the compound, currently. Ren is keeping her company."**

 **"Oh, God, Ruby!" Jaune sighed, "Everytime I think you see things the right way..."**

 **"It's 100acres with a lap pool, it's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people."**

 **"Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment."**

 **"She's a ex-terrorist and they don't grant pardons like candy."**

 **"It's Blake!"**

 **"GIVE ME A BREAK!" Ruby shouted, "I'm doing what has to be done, to stave of something worse."**

 **"You keep telling yourself that," Jaune gave her back the pen.**

"A solid gold cage is still a cage," Blake commented with the Faunus in the group agreeing.

"She's trying to protect you," Ironwood defended Ruby.

"The Highway to Hell is paved with good intentions," Summer answered. She held her daughter, understanding her want to protect her friend. But also seeing how she's failing it.

 **"Hello Ms. Nikos," Mercury stood in front of her cell, "I've been sent by the Councils to evaluate you. Do you mind if I sit?"**

 **Pyrrha didn't answer.**

 **Mercury sat down, "Your first name is: Pyrrha?"**

 **"The receipt for your stuff," Coco handed Nora a paper.**

 **"Bird Costume?" Seriously?" Nora waved the paper.**

 **"I didn't write it," Coco pressed a button and the tv in the room switched to Pyrrha's cell feed. Jaune looked back at her and she just smiled.**

"Coco?" Velvet nudged with her elbow, "Is It your turn?"

"Oh come on," Coco brushed off her partners teasing, "You're the only one for me Bun-Bun. I certainly wouldn't insult your memory by diluting with someone responsible for your death."

The lighthearted mood fell, it was almost forgotten about.

 **"I'm not here to judge you," Mercury said, "I'm just here to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, Pyrrha?"**

 **Silence.**

 **"I can't help you if you don't talk to me, Pyrrha," Mercury sighed.**

 **"My name is Pyr," She finally spoke. Jaune stared at the tv with hopeful eyes. After Mercury resumed talking, Jaune looked at the picture of Pyrrha after the bombing. Jaune didn't like this, he could feel his insides turning.**

 **"Why would the Enforcers release this photo to begin with?" Jaune asked the room.**

 **"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as you can?" Coco answered.**

 **"Right," Jaune nodded, "That's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get Seven Billion people looking for the Fall Maiden."**

 **"You're thinking someone framed her to find her?" Coco asked.**

 **"Jaune we looked for her for two years and didn't find a thing," Nora spoke up.**

 **"Yeah," Jaune nodded, "But we didn't bomb the Councils, that turns a lot of heads."**

 **"But," Coco interrupted, "That doesn't guarantee that whoever framed her would get her. It guarantees that we would."**

 **Jaune's head snapped back to the tv to a shot of Mercury, "Yeah." Was all he said.**

"I must say," Ironwood nodded, "You weren't lying when you said he had potential. I wasn't even thinking of that, I was more focused on everything else."

"And you said he'd flunk out of Beacon," Ozpin smiled at a blushing Glynda.

"At first I thought he would," Glynda admitted, "But Mr. Arc has improved in his time, and if any of these universes say anything, is that he has the potential you spoke of."

Pyrrha smiled at the praise Jaune was receiving.

 **"Tell me Pyr," Mercury asked, "You've seen a great deal, haven't you?"**

 **"I don't wanna talk about it," Pyrrha answered.**

 **"You fear that if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop? Don't worry, we only have to talk about one."**

 **Another bomb exploded knocking out the power. Everyone started to panic. Winter wanted eyes on Pyrrha, Jaune watched the tv waiting, Ruby was looking for the source of the outage.**

 **"Sub-Level Five," Coco said, "East Wing."**

 **Jaune and Nora bolted out of the room.**

"What just happened?" Ironwood went into full defense mode on reflex.

"Whatever Mr. Black is planning," Oobleck noted, "Is coming full circle."

"Hey," Emerald tapped his arm, "What are you doing anyway?"

"You think I know?" Mercury shrugged.

 **"What the hell is this?" Pyrrha looked at the darkened room.**

 **"Let's talk about your home," Mercury smiled, "Not Beacon, certainly not Mistral, no. Your real home." He pulled a book with a Grimm mask on the cover. "Longing," he began reading.**

 **"No," Pyrrha whispered.**

 **"Rusted," he continued.**

 **"Stop," Pyrrha begged.**

 **"Seventeen," Mercury began walking around the cell.**

 **"Stop," Pyrrha began to struggle against the restraints.**

 **"Daybreak,"**

 **Pyrrha screamed.**

 **"Furnace,"**

 **Pyrrha broke out of her restraints and began attacking the door to her cell.**

 **"Nine, Benign, Homecoming, One, Freight Car!"**

 **Pyrrha broke out and fell to her knees.**

 **"Solider?" He asked.**

 **"Ready to comply," Pyrrha lifelessly said as she rose to her feet. Her bright emerald eyes once so full of life, now devoid of anything.**

"I'm officially freaked out here," Nora shrunk in her seat.

"You aren't the only ones," Ilia stared into lifeless eyes that sent a shiver down her spine.

Pyrrha stared at herself, wondering what this Pyrrha had endured to scream at the mere words, and the resulting emptiness.

"So that's what she does," Summer held her daughter closer.

"Indeed," Ozpin had seen many sides of humanity, faced many followers of Salem, but seeing his own student turned into this lifeless husk made him angry.

J **aune ran into the room to find bodies laying everywhere. He moved faster when he found Mercury on the ground.**

 **"Help me," he pleaded.**

 **Jaune wasn't falling for it, he picked him up and pinned him to the wall, "Who are you? What do you want?"**

 **"To see an empire fall," he answered.**

 **Pyrrha came out of the darkness and tried to punch Nora. Nora dodged, and counterstrikes. But Pyrrha had experience, over Nora. She delivered a few quick but powerful jabs, grabbed Nora by her cheeks, and threw her into the corner of her cell.**

"Wow," Nora watched, "That wasn't even with a weapon..."

"I'm not even that efficient with my hand-to-hand," Pyrrha gasped, "I guess Salem trained me well when she brainwashed me..."

 **Jaune dropped Mercury and ran to Pyrrha. He punched, she blocked, he tried again, but was met with a hell to the chest and kicked into the next room. Pyrrha tried to kick him as he was getting to his feet, Jaune was on the defensive, blocking her strikes as he backed away from her. She kicked him against a set of elevator doors, she punched his chest, that's when he grabbed her arm. Pyrrha dragged Jaune back with her fist and pushed him through the doors.**

"Jaune!" RWBY and NPR screamed.

"I'm gonna take a nap," Roman yawned, "Wake me when something interesting happen."

 **Nora woke up and saw Mercury staring at where Jaune fell.**

 **"Hey!" She rose to her feet.**

 **Mercury took off.**

"Not one to stick around?" Emerald chuckled.

"I'm outnumbered," Mercury retorted, "It's a tactical retreat."

 **"Evac all civilians," Winter ordered, "I want a perimeter set up and I want gunships in the air now. Pyrrha Nikos does not leave this building."**

 **"Please tell me you brought a suit," Cinder ran next to Ruby.**

 **"Sure did," Ruby answered, "It's a lovely Whitley Schnee, three-piece, two-button. I'm an active duty non-combatant."**

"Whitley makes clothes in this one?" Winter thought it over, "I hope his attitude's improved..."

"He always did like fashion," Weiss commented.

"I got money says he can't beat mine," Coco grumbled.

 **Pyrrha was in the middle of what looked like a cafeteria, where she was demolishing the security team that had been tasked to bring her down. Ruby hid against one of the pillars. The more Pyrrha fought, the closer Ruby went.**

 **"We're in position," Cinder radioed Ruby.**

 **Ruby tapped her watch and it transformed into a metal glove. She aimed it at Pyrrha and a flash bang went off.**

Ruby was drooling at the sight of her mecha-shift-watch, "I made that? I want it!"

"You turned a watch into a gun," Yang sighed, "Only you Ruby, only you."

 **Ruby rushed in, she set it off again, and was engaged with Pyrrha. Pyrrha pointed the gun she had at Ruby, she quickly covered it with her now metal hand, and the bullet did nothing. Ruby ripped the slide off the glock and backhanded Pyrrha with it. Pyrrha was completely unphased by that attack. She punched Ruby in the throat, kicked her chest, and sent her crashing into a table against the wall.**

"If I had Crescent Rose," Ruby watched herself get thrown, "I could take you down."

"Our sparing matches say otherwise," Weiss whispered.

"Just stop me..." Pyrrha pleaded.

 **Coco ran up to Pyrrha with a kick. Pyrrha blocked and swung, Coco ducked, and Cinder came in with a punch to the stomach. Coco kicked high and wrapped her leg around Pyrrha's head. Pyrrha threw Coco off and into a table nearby. Cinder wrapped both legs around Pyrrha's head and began elbowing her head. Disoriented, Pyrrha ran forward and threw Cinder onto a table. Her legs still around Pyrrha, but Pyrrha had her hand around her throat.**

 **"You could at least recognize me," Cinder strained.**

 **Ilia came flying in with a kick to Pyrrha's side.**

"Holy shit Pyrrha," Coco gasped, "Were you holding back on us?"

"I see why she's next in line," Ironwood looked at Ozpin.

"She took down two high ranking huntresses-in-training without a weapon," Glynda was shocked.

"Here I thought she was just a puppet," Raven nodded approvingly, "Nice to see Cereal Girl has some real fight in her."

 **Ilia didn't let up on her kicking assault. Pyrrha was put on the defensive. Until she finally parried and sent Ilia back. She landed on her stomach and quickly recovered. She saw Pyrrha climbing a set of stairs, and Ilia ran around. Once Pyrrha reached the top of the stairs, Ilia jumped down and cut her off. Resuming her kicking, Pyrrha blocked again. Ilia threw a high kick, Pyrrha ducked and swung a right hook. Ilia grabbed her wrist and hyperextended it. Pyrrha struggled against the grip, Ilia looked behind her and threw them both down the stairs. Ilia was the first one to punch, Pyrrha wasn't up to block. Ilia punched her throat then kicked her over the railing. Ilia jumped down to follow but Pyrrha was gone.**

Ghira put a massive hand on Ilia's shoulder. She looked up at him, and he nodded. At a loss for words, Ilia turned pink. Once she got her emotions under control she nodded back.

 **Nora ran outside being pushed by civilians panicking. She found Mercury's jacket, "Damn!" She frantically looked around.**

"Stupid Mercury," Nora grumbled, "Using the crowd to escape, being all smart and shit..."

Ren smiled at his childhood friend.

 **Pyrrha was on the roof walking toward the stationed helicopter. She jumped in and started it up. As the blades began rotating Jaune ran onto the helipad. The helicopter took off but Jaune grabbed one of the legs and pulled it down. With one hand on the leg the other grabbed the railing and kept Pyrrha from leaving.**

Velvet blushed, "Anyone else looking at his muscles?"

"He's got some upper body strength," Yang had her tongue hanging out of her mouth.

 _He doesn't want me to leave, that's both romantic and sexy. Oh god I need to try that in our world._

Pyrrha looked around and saw a pink dust gracing each of her friends, except Nora.

 **Once she realized take off was off the table, Pyrrha crashed the helicopter into the pad. Jaune jumped back to avoid the crash. Once the blades were done spinning Jaune was lying in front of the windshield. Pyrrha's hand shot out of it and grabbed him by the throat. Out of options Jaune pushed the helicopter off the ledge into the water below. With Pyrrha still holding onto him, they both fell into the water. Jaune surfaced first, with an unconscious Pyrrha in his arms.**

 **Pyrrha woke up in a dark room both of her arms were suspended.**

 **"Jaune!" Nora shouted and Jaune came rushing in.**

 **Jaune stared in disbelief at Pyrrha.**

 **"Where am I?" She asked.**

 **"Which Pyrrha am I talking to?" Jaune asked.**

 **Pyrrha closed her eyes, "It was my birthday, you came to the dorm covered in cuts and bruises. I began chewing you out, until you revealed my present. A music box. You made it from the exact tree I pinned you to during initiation."**

 **"You can't learn that in a museum," Jaune felt like crying, his Pyrrha was back.**

 _Awww, I wish he did that! That's such a cute gift!_

"Hopeless romantic isn't he?" Weiss giggled.

 **"Just like that we're supposed to be cool?" Nora deadpanned.**

 **"What did I do?" Pyrrha ignored Nora.**

 **"Enough," Jaune answered.**

 **"God I knew this would happen," Pyrrha sighed, "Everything Salem put in my head is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words."**

 **"Who was he?"**

 **"I don't know,"**

 **"People are dead. The bombing, the set up, the doctor did all that to get 10minutes alone with you. I need something better than: "I don't know."**

 **"He wanted to know about Atlas," Pyrrha face scrunched at remembering it, "He wanted to know where I was kept. Exactly where."**

 **"Why would he want to know that?"**

 **"Because I'm not the only Fall Maiden," Pyrrha sighed.**

 **A clip show began of a group of men being injected with a serum. They screamed wildly until they stopped and stared. Each one was shown brutally attacking their guards and doctors. Only Pyrrha was able to beat them.**

"Dear gods," Ironwood was shocked.

"Guess that's what happens when you don't have to worry about morals," Qrow drank.

 **"Who are they?"**

 **"Her most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in her service. Before the serum."**

 **"They all turn out like you?" Nora asked.**

 **"Worse."**

 **"The doctor," Jaune resumed, "Could he control them?"**

 **"Enough," Pyrrha sighed.**

 **"He said he wanted to see an empire fall."**

 **"With these guys he could do it. They speak 30languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize. They can take a whole kingdom down overnight and you'd never see them coming."**

"I seriously hope those are universe exclusive," Raven dared not to even imagine what they could to in their world.

"You aren't the only one," Ironwood shuddered. He knew Salem could be cold, but this, could she do this?

 _Just like the previous universe, do you have these men in our universe mistress?_

 **"This would have a whole lot easier a week ago..." Nora whispered to Jaune.**

 **"If we call Ruby..."**

 **"She won't help us," Nora dismissed.**

 **"Even if she did..."**

 **"Who knows if the accords will let her?"**

 **"We're on our own," Jaune sighed.**

 **"Maybe not," Nora shrugged, "I know a guy."**

 **"He's not even going to try an talk to me?" Ruby asked.**

"You became a dog of the military," Raven spoke to her niece, "If he did, you'd follow your precious rules, and turn him in."

"Because it's the right thing to do!" Ruby defended.

"Is it?" Raven asked.

 **"I don't suppose you know where they are," Ironwood approached Ruby.**

 **"We will," Ruby nodded, "The enforcers got the borders covered, and recon' she flying 24/7. They'll get a hit, and we'll handle it."**

 **"You don't get it Rose," Ironwood interrupted, "It's not yours to handle. It's clear you can't be objective. I'm putting Special Forces on this."**

 **"What happens when the shooting starts?" Cinder asked, "What do you kill Jaune?"**

 **"If we're provoked," Ironwood answered, "Nikos would have been eliminated in Menagerie if it weren't for Arc. There are dead people, who would be alive now. Feel free to check my math."**

 **"With all due respect," Ruby began, "You aren't going to solve this with boys and bullets Ironwood. You gotta let us bring them in."**

 **"And how will that end any different than last time?"**

 **"Because this time I won't be wearing heels and a silk skirt," Ruby glared, "72hours. Guaranteed."**

 **"36hours. Nikos. Arc. Valkyrie."**

 **"Thank you sir," Ruby began rubbed her chest.**

"Don't tell me," Yang pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Do I have more than just a glove?" Ruby had stars in her eyes.

"Knowing you," Weiss began, "You probably have multiple suits of armor..."

 **"My left arm is numb," Ruby quipped, "Is that normal?"**

 **Cinder placed her hand on her, "You ok?"**

 **"Always," Ruby answered, "36hours, god..."**

 **"We are seriously understaffed," Cinder looked back at her.**

 **"It'd be great if we had an Ozpin," Ruby leaned back, "Any guesses?"**

 **"You really think he'd be on our side?" Cinder asked.**

 **"No," Ruby sighed.**

 **"I have an idea," Cinder sighed as well.**

 **"Me too, where's yours?" Ruby asked.**

 **"Downstairs," Cinder tilted her head, "Yours?"**

"That's a good question Oz," Ironwood looked at him, "Who's side would you be on?"

Ozpin was silent.

 **Ilia was walking and talking with some of her bodyguards. When she spotted Cinder in front of her car. Kali and Ghira stepped in front of Ilia.**

 **"Move," Ghira growled.**

 **"Or you will be moved," Kali did the same.**

 **Cinder smirked at the both of them.**

"Oh thank god," Blake let out a huge breath.

"Blake?" Kali asked.

"I hadn't seen you the entire time," Blake leaned on her mother's shoulder, "Adam as High Leader, Ilia as the Black Panther, I feared the worst."

 **"As entertaining as that would be," Ilia smiled and waved them back.**

 **"You really think you can find her?" Cinder asked.**

 **"My resources are considerable," Ilia answered.**

 **"Yeah," Cinder sighed, "It took the world almost ten years to find Nikos. I'm sure you can do it in about half that time."**

 **"You know where they are," Ilia knew what Cinder was doing.**

 **"I know someone who does," Cinder nodded.**

"Ilia," Blake faced her, "Would you really go that far?"

"She killed the High Leader," Ilia responded, "We were making non-violent progress too! How could anyone kill a non-violent man?"

Non-violent and Adam don't go together normally, but even the current Adam agreed with Ilia.

 **Coco met Jaune under a bridge. He was driving an old rusted bug.**

 **"Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car," Coco sighed.**

 **"It's low profile," Jaune answered.**

 **"Good because this stuff tends to draw a crowd," Coco opened the trunk revealing Jaune's shield and Nora's hammer.**

 **"I owe you one," Jaune smiled.**

 **"Just," Coco started as she grabbed her necklace, "Just make sure no one else dies."**

 **Jaune recognized Velvet's stitched heart and nodded.**

Velvet curled into Coco's lap, Coco refused to let her go.

 **Jaune drove his car into a parking structure. Where he parked next to a van.**

 **"Jaune," Emerald shook his hand.**

 **"I wouldn't have called if it wasn't dire," Jaune shook.**

 **"Hey man you're doing me a favor," Emerald smiled, "Besides, I owe someone."**

 **Blake was standing next to Emerald.**

 **"Thanks for having my back," Jaune nodded.**

 **"It was time I got off my ass," Blake smiled.**

 **"How about our other recruit?" Jaune asked.**

 **"He's raring to go," Emerald opened the door, "After I put some coffee in him."**

Neo rapidly shook Roman awake.

"Huh?" He looked at her, and she pointed at the screen, "Oh!"

 **"Jaune Arc," Roman stepped out of the van and shook his hand.**

 **"Roman," Jaune shook.**

 **"It's an honor," Roman kept shaking, "I'm shaking you're hand to long. This is awesome." He turned around to Blake, "It's Jaune Arc! I know you too, you're great."**

"This me is odd," Roman tilted his head, "But I like him anyway."

 **"Look," Roman began, "I know you know a lot of super people, I'm just thinkful you thank of me."**

"Welcome to the Socially Awkward Club," Ruby waved.

"Please," Roman scoffed, "I'm the president, and probably founder."

 **"They tell you what we're up against?" Jaune asked.**

 **"Yeah," Roman sighed, "The bitch is dead and we're still dealing with her."**

 **"That's the thing about people like Salem," Jaune agreed, "There'll always be followers wanting to pick up the pieces."**

Roman looked at Neo, and she stared back wide eyed. They were free. Ruby saw the little interaction he and Neo had. Was he working for Salem the whole time? Knowing what she knows now, does he even have a choice?

 **"We're outside the law on this one," Jaune continued, "So, you come with us, you're a wanted man."**

 **Roman smirked, "What else is new?"**

 **"We should get moving," Pyrrha spoke.**

 **"I got a chopper lined up," Emerald spoke.**

 **An alarm went off over the speakers, and began speaking a recording no one recognized.**

 **"Let's go," Pyrrha warned, "They're evacuating the airport."**

 **"Ruby," Nora sighed.**

 **"Little Red?" Roman asked surprised.**

 **"Suit up," Jaune declared.**

"I'm awake now," Roman actually paid attention.

 **Jaune walked slowly into the opening. He began running when he saw the chopper Emerald was talking about. That's when a mechanical dart hit it and fried all of it's electrical systems. A red suit was seen hovering above the chopper and it landed. Another colored black, with heavier armor, and more weaponry landed next to it.**

 **"Wow," it said, "It's so weird how you run into people at the airport. Isn't that weird?**

"Ruby," Yang chuckled, "At least your color scheme had improved. I'm digging the red and gold."

"It's a nice little blend," Ruby smiled.

 **"Definitely weird," the black suit answered.**

"WEISS?!" RBY screamed.

"Aww," Weiss cooed, "You made your girlfriend a suit? That's so sweet Ruby."

Ruby blushed matching her cloak.

"Do I hear wedding bells?" Summer caused Weiss to match Ruby.

 **"Hear me out Ruby," Jaune said, "The doctor, he's behind all of this."**

 **Ilia leapt next to Ruby donning her black panther suit, "Arc." Was all that she said.**

 **"High Leader," Jaune nodded.**

 **"Anywho," Ruby's helmet retreated into her suit, "Ironwood gave me 36hours to bring you in, that was 24hours ago. Can you help a friend out?"**

 **"You're after the wrong guy," Jaune answered.**

 **"Your judgment is askew," Ruby growled, "Your old girlfriend killed innocent people yesterday."**

 **"And there are five more super soldiers just like her," Jaune raised his voice, "I can't let the doctor get his hands on them Ruby, I can't."**

 **"Jaune," Cinder revealed herself behind him, "You know what's about to happen. Are you sure you want to punch your way out of this one?"**

 **"Alright," Ruby sighed, "I've run out of patience. YANG!"**

 **From above Yang used a web to pull Jaune's shield away, then webbed up his hands.**

"Making a suit for me too!" Yang hugged her sister, "You're the best little sister ever!"

"Excuse me?" Winter glared.

 **"You've been busy," Jaune nodded.**

 **"And you've been a complete idiot," Ruby snapped, "Dragging in Emerald, "recusing" Blake from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep..." Ruby took a breath, "I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Inner Circle apart."**

 **"You did that when you signed," Jaune's voice wasn't cold, but it hurt to hear the words.**

 **"Alright we're done," Ruby shook her head, "You're going to turn Nikos over, and come with us, now. Because it's us! Or a squad of enforcers with no compunction about being impolite! Please..."**

"Think he'll do it?" Glynda asked Ozpin.

"No," Ozpin answered surprising everyone, "He won't..."

 **"We found it," Nora spoke in her head piece, "The jet's in hanger 18."**

 **Jaune raised his hands in the air, Ruby looked relieved. Only for her hope to be shattered once a arrow ripped the webbing apart. Her helmet came out of her suit and reformed itself.**

 **"Alright Roman," Jaune signaled.**

 **"Guys?" Yang looked at a tiny man on Jaune's shield. Only for it to grow into a full man, kick Yang back, and he ran to Jaune.**

 **"I believe this is yours Mr. Arc," Roman handed him his shield.**

Neo and Roman stared dumbfounded.

"Is that my semblance?" Roman smiled, "That would make life so much easier!"

Neo nodded frantically.

 **"There are two in the parking lot, one of them is Blake, I'm going after her," Ruby's suit began to fly, "Weiss wanna take Jaune?"**

 **"There are two in the terminal itself," Weiss scanned it, "Nora and Nikos."**

 **"NIKOS IS MINE!" Ilia took off after toward the terminal.**

 **Weiss was about to follow but Jaune threw his shield sending her back.**

 **"Ruby what should I do?" Yang pressed her finger to her ear.**

 **"What we discussed, keep your distance web them up."**

 **"Copy," Yang shot her web at the terminal and pulled herself toward it.**

"I'm all for friendly sparing," Yang shook her head, "But this is too far..."

 **Jaune threw his shield at Ilia, while stunned he leapt on her back, and threw her behind him. Ilia quickly recovered and rose to her feet.**

 **"Move Arc," she demanded, "I won't ask a second time."**

 **Jaune raised his shield to block her kicks, even with the shield, Ilia's kicks sent Jaune back.**

"I didn't know you were so efficient in hand-to-hand Ilia," Adam spoke up.

"I'm not," Ilia confessed, "I know a little but not enough to solely rely on it."

 **"Look I really don't want to hurt you," Roman spoke to Cinder.**

Roman smiled wide, he'd always wanted to say that to Cinder.

Cinder coughed disguising a laugh.

 **"I wouldn't stress about it," Cinder kicked Roman where it counts. As he bent down in pain, she trapped him in an arm bar. But that's when he shrunk himself, and put Cinder in a reverse arm bar. He kept pulling as she was on the ground. Cinder activated a device on her wrist that shocked Roman, and sent him flying away.**

Roman and Neo were laughing, they'd always wanted to fight Cinder, and now they were! Not only that, but he landed a hit too!

 **"What the hell is that?" Pyrrha was running next to Nora as Yang was literally crawling across the glass windows.**

 **"Everyone's got a gimmick now!" Nora grunted.**

 **Yang jumped off the glass, shot a web to the roof, used it to propel herself through the glass, and kick Nora away. She ran at Pyrrha and they both swung, but Yang caught Pyrrha's fist.**

 **"Getting sloppy P-Money," Yang was tackled by Nora, who took to the air, "You have the right to remain silent!" Yang struggled against her grip. Eventually she was free but continued to chase Nora.**

"I got on the ropes P-Money!" Yang laughed.

Pyrrha couldn't help but smile at Yang. Even during a fight, she was lighthearted.

 **Ruby was in the air chasing Emerald and Blake. Missiles shot out of her shoulders and cornered them. Ilia was fighting Jaune with claws built into her suits gloves. Weiss pulled a modified version of Myrtenaster from her suit.**

 **"I'm sorry Jaune," The sword came alive with electricity, "This won't kill you, but it's not gonna tickle."**

 **Ilia kicked Jaune onto his back, he quickly raised his shield to block Weiss' attack.**

 **"Blake I think you hurt Ren's feeling," Ruby aimed a hand cannon at them.**

 **"You locked me in my room," Blake snarked.**

 **"First that's an exaggeration. Second, I did it to protect you."**

 **Blake tilted her head with an: "Are-you-serious?" expression.**

 **"Hey Em,"**

 **"Hey Rubes,"**

 **"Clearly retirement doesn't suit you, got tired to shooting golf?"**

 **"Well I played 18, shot 18. Just can't seem to miss," Emerald fired an arrow at her.**

 **Ruby dodged and shot the arrow out of the sky, "First time for everything."**

 **"Made you look," Emerald smirked as Blake's clones began pushing cars from the parking lot off the edge onto Ruby.**

 **"Multiple contusions detected," Ruby's synthetic voice told her.**

 **"Yeah I detected that too," Ruby grunted.**

"That voice sounds familiar," Ruby tilted her head.

"It does," Ironwood agreed.

"Maybe this is one big sparing match," Emerald caught the attention of everyone, "Well if we can take the time to talk to each other, this must not be that serious."

Everyone shrugged, she had a point.

 **Yang was swinging on web vines chasing Nora. Nora fired a grenade but hit a rafter instead.**

 **Yang landed on a different one and her eyes widened, "Oh god." She ducked under a slab of metal Pyrrha threw. Pyrrha hid behind a directory.**

 **"Hey P-Money, I think you lost something!" Yang threw it back at her destroying the directory she hid behind.**

 **Nora flew behind Yang and kicked her off the rafters. As they were falling Yang shot another web and flew out from under Nora's feet. She then shot Nora's jet pack causing her to crash into a kiosk. Nora rushed to her feet, but Yang webbed up her hands to the nearby railing.**

 **"Those wings carbon fiber?" Yang landed on a support beam.**

 **"This stuff coming out of you?" Nora looked at her hands with shock and disgust.**

 **"That would explain the rigidity-flexibility ratio," which, gotta say is awesome Nora."**

 **"I don't know if you've taken too many to the head but there's usually not this much talking during a fight."**

 **"You're right my bad," Yang swung forward, Pyrrha charged, and her and Nora were kicked to the floor below where Yang webbed them up again.**

 **Nora called in her little drone that attached itself to Yang's wrist and flew her out the window.**

 **"You couldn't have done that earlier?" Pyrrha groaned.**

 **"I hate you," Nora sighed.**

"Nora!" Pyrrha Shakespeareianly gasped, "How could you?! I thought we were friends!" She covered her eyes with one hand and extended her other to Nora.

"I'm sorry!" Nora pleaded with just as much ham, "Please! Will you ever forgive me?"

 **Jaune was busy fighting off both Ilia and Weiss. Once he got them away from him, Roman ran up to him and handed him a tiny truck.**

 **"Throw it at this," Roman held up a little throwing star, "NOW!" They threw i and it expanded into a full size tanker.**

Roman and Neo were practically bouncing off the walls.

 **"OH COME ON!" Weiss screamed as it landed on her and exploded.**

 **"Oh god I thought that was a water truck," Roman gaped, "My bad."**

"I regret nothing Ice Queen!" Roman said between fits of laughter.

 **Ruby landed next to Weiss and Cinder. She helped a glaring Cinder to her feet.**

 **"Is this part of the plan?" She snipped.**

 **"Well, my plan was go easy on them. You wanna switch it up?" Ruby asked with equal snippiness.**

 **Emerald and Blake ran toward the hangar. Jaune and Roman joined them.**

 **"COME ON!" Jaune yelled, prompting Pyrrha and Nora to join him.**

 **They ran forward only to be stopped by a beam of energy. Looking up they saw Ren looking down at them.**

 **"Jaune Arc!" He declared, "I know you believe what you're doing is right. But for the collective good. You must stand down."**

"Mr. Ren," Ozpin sighed, "Always the voice of reason. Maybe he can put a stop to this pointless battle."

 **Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Cinder, Ren, and Ilia. Against Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, Emerald, and Roman.**

 **"What do we do Jaune-Jaune?" Nora asked.**

 **"We fight," they began forward.**

"Or not," Ironwood shook his head.

 **"They're not stopping," Yang closed her eyes.**

 **"Neither are we," her side began moving.**

"I think friendly just ended," Mercury sighed.

 **Both sides began running, until they finally clashed in the middle...**

 **"We're still friends right?" Cinder blocked Emerald's strike.**

 **"Depends on how hard you hit me," Emerald smiled.**

 **Cinder used her legs to throw Emerald off her, she rose to kick, but a clone of Blake's tackled her into a nearby wall.**

 **"You were pulling your punches," Blake commented.**

"Well duh," Emerald blurted like it was obvious, "I mean we're still friends right?"

 **Pyrrha grabbed Ilia's throat but her suit made it harder to strangle her. In return Ilia grabbed Pyrrha's.**

 **"I didn't kill Adam," Pyrrha coughed.**

 **"Then why did you run?!" She demanded.**

 **Ilia threw Pyrrha off of her, kicked her into a nearby crate, "DIE!" She screamed as her claw went right for her throat. Another clone of Blake tackled Ilia, only this one, picked her up, and threw her into a nearby gate.**

"Oh I don't know," Pyrrha shrugged, "A bulletproof panther comes to kill me without explanation. No reason to run at all..."

Ilia blushed slightly.

 **Yang swung toward Jaune, but he threw his shield and severed her line. She rolled into a fighting stance as Jaune put his shield back on his arm.**

 **"That thing does not obey the laws of physics at all," Yang deadpanned.**

 **"Yang," Jaune pleaded, "There's a lot going on here that you don't know."**

 **"Ruby said you'd say that," Yang laughed. She shot a web and he blocked. When he did, Yang shot for his leg, and pulled it out from under him. When she did, she slid on the ground and met Jaune with her foot.**

 **"Did you forget we used to watch each other spar?" Yang laughed.**

 **Jaune ran for his shield and Yang webbed his arms. He spun around, leapt in the air, and twirled sending Yang to the opposite side of him.**

"Look's like Jaune has gotten better," Yang nodded, "Going all out with it too."

Pyrrha smiled at the positive comment Jaune was getting.

 **Nora was flying in circles avoiding Ruby's fire, "Emerald, can you get her off me?"**

 **"You sure this is safe?" Emerald readied her bow.**

 **"Yeah," Roman spoke frantically, "No, I'm good! I'm good, Arrow Girl, Let's go! Let's go!"**

 **Roman screamed when Emerald let the arrow fly. Once Ruby blew it out of the air, he leapt off and onto her suit. He ran up her arm and into the suit itself.**

"Taking you down from the inside," Roman laughed then stopped, "That sounded better in my head. Shutting up now."

 **Yang shot a web at Jaune, he grabbed it, and pulled her to him. Then bashed her with his shield. Yang slid under him and pulled herself to higher ground.**

 **"What else did Ruby say?" Jaune asked.**

 **"That you're wrong, but you think you're right," Yang shook her head, "That's dangerous thinking Vomit Boy."**

 **Yang used her web to swing at him. But Jaune dodged her web and kicked her back. Then threw his shield at the support. Yang caught it and stained to keep it above her.**

 **"I'm sorry Yang," Jaune sighed and ran off.**

 **"Damn," Yang struggled to keep the weight up.**

"Some could say the same about you James," Qrow looked at Ironwood who was glaring.

 **Ruby was firing at Emerald, while she took cover. Ruby was about to fire again, when her cannon stopped.**

 **"Penny?" she asked her suit.**

 **"We have some weapons systems offline," Penny reported.**

 **"What?" Ruby was dumbfounded.**

 **"Oh yeah," Roman messed with some wires, "You're gonna need to take this into the shop."**

 **"Who's speaking?" Ruby grew annoyed.**

 **"It's your conscience," Roman joked, "We don't talk a lot these days."**

 **"Penny?"**

 **"Deploying fire suppression system."**

 **The inside of Ruby's suit was flooded with a white gas. Roman gasped and began trying to outrun the gas. But it eventually caught up with him, and he was ejected from the suit.**

"Penny?" Ruby looked at her suit.

"Salutations!" Penny popped up.

"PENNY!" Ruby hugged her friend.

"How are you inside my super-special-awesome-weapon-suit?" Ruby blurted.

"I don't know," Penny hiccuped.

 **"We gotta go," Pyrrha regrouped with Jaune, "He's probably in Atlas by now."**

 **"We need to draw out the flyers," Jaune strategized, "I'll take Ren, you get to the jet."**

 **"No!" Nora spoke, "You get to the jet! Both of you! The rest of us aren't getting out of here."**

 **"As much as I hate to admit it," Emerald sighed, "If we're going to win this, some of us might have to lose it."**

 **"This isn't the real fight Jaune-Jaune," Nora commented.**

 **"Alright Nora," Jaune didn't like it but he accepted it, "What's the play?"**

 **"We need a diversion, something big."**

 **"I got something big," Roman added, "But I can't hold it very long, on my signal, run like you stole something. And if I tear myself in half, don't come back for me?"**

 **"He's going to tear himself in half?" Pyrrha was confused.**

 **"You sure about this Roman?" Jaune asked.**

 **"I do it all the time," Roman lied, "I mean once, with Neo, and I passed out immediately after...I'm the boss," Roman psyched himself up, "I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the boss."**

 **Roman jumped and landed on Weiss' leg as she chased Nora. Roman closed his eyes and prayed this would work. When suddenly he became the size of a paladin.**

"DUDE FUCK YEAH!" Roman cheered with Neo clapping.

"Swear!" Ruby pointed the Finger of Doom at Roman.

 **"HOLY SHIT!" Yang gasped.**

Ruby pointed the Finger of Doom at Yang.

 **"Okay, tiny dude is big now!" Weiss panicked as he held her leg, "He's big now!"**

"I am actually at a loss for words," Cinder gaped.

 **Jaune and Pyrrha stared in awe, "I guess that's the signal..."**

"Run like you stole something," Roman sat back down, "That's funny."

 **Ruby stared at Roman, "Give me back my Weiss-Cream."**

Weiss blushed.

"Ruby," Yang pouted, "Puns are my thing."

"Both my daughters make puns!" Taiyang had tears in his eyes.

Everyone, even Summer, groaned.

 **Roman tossed her aside as Nora kicked Ruby.**

 **"I got her!" Yang shot webs at Weiss. The momentum carried Yang and she hit a truck, but she used that to halt Weiss' flight. Once she was able to Weiss returned to the fight.**

 **Roman kicked a bus at Ilia, but Ren flew down and cut it in half. She saw Jaune and Pyrrha running, and gave chase. Ruby was flying after, but Roman tore the wing off a plane and used it as a club.**

 **"Anybody on our side hiding any shocking and fantastic abilities they'd like to disclose?" Ruby asked, "I'm open to suggestions."**

"I am curious about the others," Winter commented.

"I'm not," Ironwood drank, "A certain vagabond just became a giant and can shrink into a grain of rice. I don't even want to think anymore..."

 **Ilia was staring up at the colossal Roman.**

 **"You wanna get to them?" He taunted, "You gotta go through me."**

 **Weiss began firing at Roman, with Yang hanging onto her. Yang shot a web at Roman's arm and looped a few times before kicking his giant cheekbone.**

Neo furiously flipped off the screen with both hands.

 **Emerald was firing arrows at Ilia. She was dodging with ease, Emerald did a flip, fired to arrows that Ilia caught, and exploded in her face. Only for her to be unharmed. Ilia unleashed her claws.**

 **"That's concerning," Emerald's bow became a staff, "We haven't met before, I'm Emerald."**

 **"I don't care," Ilia scoffed.**

"At least someone is taking this seriously," Cinder finally found herself not rolling her eyes.

 **Ren saw Jaune and Pyrrha running toward the jet. He phased through Roman.**

 **"Something just flew in me!" He cried.**

 **Ren used his energy beam to collapse the control tower on top of them. Blake used an army of clones to lift the tower. Weiss flew behind her and unleashed a devastating sonic attack. Blake screamed and covered her ears.**

The Faunus in the room also screamed.

 **The tower began collapsing, Jaune and Pyrrha were barely able to slide under it. Only Cinder was waiting for them.**

 **"You're not going to stop," Cinder shook her head.**

 **"You know I can't," Jaune sighed.**

 **"I'm going to regret this," Cinder held up her wrist stun gun, and fired hit, hitting Ilia?!**

"Cinder!" Ruby scolded, "How could you?!"

"I am asking myself that," Cinder leaned forward, "I truly am."

 **"Guys," Yang began wrapping Roman's knees in web, "GO HIGH!"**

 **Weiss and Ruby flew and punched his face. With his legs tied Roman fell back onto a plane and returned to his normal size.**

 **"Neo?" His world was spinning, "Bring the orange slices!"**

Out of nowhere Neo had a plate for Roman.

"Oooooh!" Roman took one, "Thank you Neo."

 **"I'm sorry," Ren approached Blake.**

 **"Me too," Blake calmed down.**

 **"It's as I said," Ren sighed, "Catastrophe."**

 **The jet took off, with Weiss and Ruby giving chase. Nora quickly following behind. She started firing at Weiss.**

 **"Ren," Weiss called, "I got a bandit on my six."**

 **Nora kept firing.**

 **"Ren?! Do you copy?!"**

 **Ren looked up and fired an energy beam. Nora looked back and dodged, and Weiss took the hit in her chest. And her power core. Ruby looked back and began flying toward Weiss.**

 **"Weiss!" She poured more power to her thrusters.**

 **Weiss' suit went dark, "Ruby?" She called but no one answered.**

 **"WEISS!" Ruby screamed as she hit the ground.**

 **Ruby tore off Weiss' helmet revealing a bloody nose.**

 **"READ VITALS!" Ruby ordered Penny.**

 **Penny was silent for what felt like an eternity, "Heartbeat detected, emergency medical is on the way."**

 **"I'm sorry," Nora landed next to them.**

 **Ruby raised her arm and shot Nora.**

Nora and Ren could feel the cold glare of Winter on them. Weiss knew if she had her weapon, not many could stop her from attacking them.

 **"What's going to happen to everyone?" Pyrrha asked once they were far enough away.**

 **"Whatever happens," Jaune nodded, "I'll deal with it."**

 **"I don't know if I'm worth all this Jaune," Pyrrha almost cried.**

 **"What you did all those years," Jaune was silent, "It wasn't you. You didn't have a choice."**

 **"I know," she nodded, "But I still did it."**

 **Jaune went back to flying.**

"I'm sure you can be forgiven," Ozpin reassured Pyrrha, "If Salem controlled your mind, you couldn't be held responsible for her actions."

"But It was my hands she used," Pyrrha sunk in her seat.

 **Weiss was being loaded into an MRI. Ruby pacing outside.**

 **"How did this happen?" Ruby coldly asked Ren.**

 **"I became distracted," Was his answer.**

 **Ruby scoffed, "I didn't think that was possible."**

 **"Neither did I," Ren watched Weiss lay motionless in the machine.**

"I approve of your girlfriend sister," Winter calmed down slightly.

Weiss blushed, she looked at Ruby who looked sad? Or angry?

 **Ruby met Cinder outside.**

 **"Docs say she shattered L4 through S1," Ruby began, "Extreme laceration to the spinal cord. Probably looking at some form of paralysis."**

 **"Jaune's not going to stop," Cinder answered, "If you don't either, Weiss is going to be the best case scenario."**

 **"You let them go," Ruby coldly answered.**

 **"We played this wrong," Cinder defended.**

 **"WE?" Ruby scoffed, "Boy, it must be hard to shake the whole double agent thing. Must stick in the DNA."**

 **Cinder let her mask drop and reveal real emotion in her cold features, "Are you incapable of letting go of your ego for one fucking second?"**

 **"Ilia told Ironwood what you did," Ruby ignored her comment, "So, they're coming for you."**

 **"I'm not the one who needs to watch their back," Cinder was done with their conversation.**

"Wow," Yang was taken back, "Angry Ruby is angry..."

Winter nodded in approval. She was liking Ruby more and more. Well, this Ruby anyhow.

 **"What am I looking at Penny?" Ruby sat on her chopper.**

 **"The Enforcers sent for a psychiatric the moment Pyrrha was captured. The Council's sent Doctor Bartholemu Oobleck within the hour. He was met by this man."**

 **"Did you run facial recognition?"**

 **"What do I look like?"**

 **"I'm picturing an orange hair."**

 **"Good imagination."**

 **"The fake doctor is actually Mercury Black, a Follower of Salem."**

 **"What happened to the real Doc?"**

 **"Found dead in a bathtub, police also found a body modification kit approximating one, Pyrrha Nikos."**

 **"Son of a bitch, get this to Ironwood."**

"Did Ruby make me?" Penny tilted her head.

"It seems like I did," Ruby smiled, "Now you're always with me."

Penny smiled and embraced Ruby.

 **Ruby was over the ocean, when a mechanical superstructure came out of the water.**

 **"This is Raft Security Control, you're cleared for landing Ms. Rose."**

 **"So?" Ruby stepped off the chopper and was met with Ironwood, "You get the files? Let's reroute satellites start facial scanning for this Mercury guy."**

 **"You seriously think I'm going to listen to you after the fiasco you pulled? You're lucky you're not in one of these cells." Ironwood gestured for Ruby to follow.**

 **She was lead into a control room with cameras in each cell. The immediate sight of Blake in a straight jacket horrified her.**

Blake, in fact all of the Faunus were growling. Ruby was terrified that they'd attack the screen.

 **Ruby stepped into the room surrounded by cells.**

 **"The Futurist everyone!" Emerald clapped, "The Futurist is here! She sees all! She knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not."**

 **"Give me a break Em," Ruby approached her cell, "I had no idea they'd put you here. Come on."**

 **Emerald spat, "Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us somewhere Ruby."**

 **"Yeah," Ruby admitted, "But not some super-max floating ocean pokey. This place is for maniacs. This place is for..."**

 **"Criminals?" Emerald rose from her bed to meet Ruby's eyes, "Criminals is the word I believe you're looking for. Right? That didn't used to mean me. Or Nora. Or Blake. But here we are."**

 **"Because you broke the law," Ruby said, "I didn't make you."**

 **"Yeah," Emerald stepped back.**

 **"You read it, you broke it," Ruby ignored Emerald childishly repeating: 'LaLaLa.' "You're a grown ass woman, you have a husband and a family. I don't understand, why didn't you think of them when you chose the wrong side?"**

 **Emerald got back up to the cell door, "You better watch your back around this one!" She slammed her hands against the door, "There's a chance she's gonna break it!"**

"That was uncalled for," Cinder coldly turned to her subordinate.

"What?" Emerald looked at her leader.

Cinder turned to Emerald, the Look alone made Emerald shrink.

 **"I always knew I could never trust you Little Red," Roman commented.**

 **"Who are you?" Ruby scoffed.**

 **"Come on..." Roman was down.**

"That hurts Little Red," Roman shed a tear, Neo did the same.

 **"How's Weiss?" Nora asked.**

 **"They're flying her to Atlas medical," Ruby let her mask fall and smile, "Perks of being the owner of the SDC combined with Rose Industries, great medical care. What do you need? They feed you yet?"**

 **"You good cop now?" Nora turned around revealing her arm in a sling and a bullet wound in her shoulder.**

 **"I'm just the gal who wants to know where Jaune went," Ruby shook her head.**

 **"You better go get a bad cop," Nora snarled, "Because..."**

 **Nora stopped as Ruby pressed some buttons on her watched.**

 **"I just knocked the A out of their AV. So we got about 30seconds before they realize it's not their equipment. This is the doctor," Ruby showed a picture of the dead doctor, "Clearly I was wrong, I made a mistake."**

 **"That's a first,"**

 **"Jaune is clearly off the reservation, we've had a bad couple of days. But Jaune is in danger."**

 **"I get it," Nora relented, "I'll tell you, but you have to go alone and as a friend."**

 **"Of course," Ruby nodded.**

"See?" Ruby pointed, "All still friends here."

"Okay," Nora nodded, "Okay, But you still shot me."

 **"What did she say?" Ironwood asked Ruby as she stepped on her chopper.**

 **"Told me to go to hell," Ruby yelled back, "I think I'll go to the compound instead. Call me anytime, I'll put you on hold. I like to watch the light blink."**

"Me. Rose," Ozpin smirked, "I like to do the same."

"That explains so much," Ironwood sighed.

 **Once Ruby was back in the air, she pressed a button and her suit was assembled around her. She leaned back and was ejected out. She then took flight, little did she know Ilia was following.**

"Tenacious," Ilia watched herself follow Ruby.

 **Jaune landed the jet on the icy terrain. Pyrrha grabbed a gun from the weapons rack. The two met by door ready to exit.**

 **"Remember that time we missed the bullhead back to Beacon?" Jaune asked Pyrrha.**

 **"You mean the time you blew all our travel money trying to win me that stuffed Beowulf?" Pyrrha smirked.**

 **"I won it in the end anyway," Jaune scoffed.**

 **"You broke the machine, stole the toy, and we were banned from the store," Pyrrha laughed.**

 **"It put a smile on your face didn't it?" Jaune smirked.**

"Was that why you two were late that night?" Ren looked over to Pyrrha blushing.

"He wouldn't give up till he won the toy," Pyrrha smiled.

 **The two entered the bunker.**

 **"He couldn't have been here more than a few hours," Jaune said as they rode the elevator down.**

 **"Long enough to wake them up," Pyrrha responded.**

 **The two exited the elevator and began walking. When the elevator began making noise. Jaune crouched with his shield while Pyrrha had her rife over his shoulder. The doors opened revealing Ruby.**

 **"You seem a little defensive," she joked as her helmet retreated into her suit.**

 **"It's been a long day," Jaune was cautious.**

 **"Put the gun down, I'm not currently after you," Ruby shouted.**

 **"Then why are you here?" Jaune demanded.**

 **"Could be your story's not so crazy," Ruby shrugged, "Maybe. Ironwood had no idea I'm here, I'd like to keep it that way. Otherwise, I gotta arrest myself."**

 **"That sounds like a lot of paperwork," Jaune quipped.**

"Are we finally friends again?" Ruby anxiously watched.

"It would seem so," Pyrrha sighed.

"Finally," Nora shook her head, "I don't think I could handle another fight."

 **The three walked through the facility. They finally entered a vast chamber, with five pods in the center.**

 **"I've got heat signatures," Ruby scanned the room with her suit.**

 **"How many?" Jaune checked the room.**

 **"One?" Ruby doubled checked, "Yeah, just one."**

 **The lights came on revealing the super soldiers, dead?**

 **"If it's any comfort," Mercury's voice came over an intercom, "They died in their sleep. Did you really think I wanted more of you?"**

 **"What the hell?" Pyrrha looked at the bodies.**

 **"I'm grateful to them, though. They brought you here." Mercury revealed himself behind a blast door. Jaune threw his shield only for it to bounce back at him, "Please, this chamber was built to withstand the launch blast of UR-100 rockets."**

 **"I'm betting I could beat that," Ruby boasted.**

 **"I'm sure you could," Mercury laughed, "Given time. But then you'd never know why you came."**

 **"How many people did you kill in Vale to bring us here?" Jaune asked.**

 **Ilia listened closely.**

 **"I've thought about nothing else for over a year," Mercury approached the glass Jaune was standing in front of, "I studied you. I followed you. But now that you're standing here. I just realized: there's a bit of green in the blue of your eyes. How nice to find a flaw."**

 **"You're from Mistral, is that was this is about?"**

 **"Mistral was a failed state long before you blew it to hell, no. I'm here because I made a promise."**

 **"You lost someone?"**

 **"I lost everyone, and so will you." Mercury inserted a tape and it began playing on a terminal outside the door, "An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumbles from within? That's dead. Forever…"**

"What do you think will happen?" Glynda asked Ozpin.

"He's planned something big," Ozpin shook his head, "Something that'll tear our students apart."

"Like what?" Qrow asked.

 **Ruby looked at the screen, "I know that road. What is this?" she demanded.**

 **The screen showed Summer Rose walking casually. When she's ambushed by a bronze blur. Pyrrha grabbed a handful of Summer's hair and wrapped her hand around her neck.**

 **Ruby went to attack, but Jaune held her back.**

 **"Ruby!" Jaune restrained her.**

 **"Did you know?" Ruby looked at him with tears in her eyes.**

All sound was eliminated from the theater as they waited Jaune's answer.

"I didn't know it was her," Jaune answered.

 **"Don't bullshit me, Arc. Did. You. Know?" Ruby demanded.**

Everyone leaned forward.

 **"Yes," Ruby pulled herself away from Jaune.**

"That bastard," Yang glared.

"There has to be a good reason for this," Pyrrha pleaded.

"You don't hide your best friend's parent's killer from them," Yang's eyes flashed red.

"She's not wrong," Roman answered.

"You're on my side?" Yang looked back.

"I might be a scumbag and a lowlife, by lying to your friend about who murdered their mother? That's makes me look like a damn saint."

"Keep a level head," Ozpin prayed.

 **Ruby backhanded Jaune away from her. Pyrrha raised her rifle, Ruby countered by shooting it out of her hand.**

"Not again," Nora pleaded, "Please stop fighting!"

"She's not going to stop," Ren shook his head, "Not when her mother's killer is right in front of her."

 **Ruby caught Pyrrha's right hook, grabbed her by the neck, and flew across the room. She landed on top and held her arm down with her boot. She aimed her wrist gun at Pyrrha's head, only at the last minute for Jaune to throw his shield and knock off Ruby's aim.**

Summer wasn't disappointed, she'd most likely do the exact same thing in Ruby's position. Seeing her daughter consumed by rage and revenge was heartbreaking none the less. Ruby and Summer held onto each other as if letting go would cause the other to vanish.

 **With his shield he tackled her off Pyrrha. Ruby recovered and shoulder rushed him. While he tried to recover Ruby launched restraints at his ankles.**

 **Pyrrha uppercutted Ruby, so Ruby tackled her and started flying. She pined Pyrrha to the wall and aimed her gun again. Pyrrha crushed it in her palm with her semblance. A backup sprouted and she quickly deflected the missile causing part of the building to collapse.**

"Holy shit Little Red," Roman gasped, "I didn't know you had it in you!"

Neo nodded approvingly.

Admittedly this side of Ruby is interesting.

"Seeing one of the good guys crack is pretty funny," Mercury whispered to Emerald.

"No one's technically the bad guy here," Emerald shook her head, "They both think what they're doing is right."

 **Jaune broke his restraints and started running toward them. The falling debris separated Ruby and Pyrrha.**

 **"Get out of here!" Jaune ordered Pyrrha.**

 **Pyrrha began to run, but Ruby was quick to circle around. She fired, but Pyrrha already went into a silo. She slammed her fist against the button raising its lid revealing the sky.**

 **"It wasn't her Ruby!" Jaune watched Ruby about to take off after Pyrrha, "Salem had control over her mind!"**

 **"MOVE!" She demanded.**

 **"IT WASN'T HER!" Jaune grabbed her boot and bashed his shield into it.**

 **Ruby stood in the doorway of the silo, a laser fired from her wrist and collapsed it blocking Jaune on the other side. She watched Pyrrha jump from platform to platform trying to reach the top.**

"Cutting off his only access," Ironwood watched, "Normally people lose focus when angry."

"I think it just made her more determined," Raven commented.

 **"Left boot jet failing," Penny tracked Ruby's suit status. Ruby flailed around as she flew up, "Flight systems compromised."**

 **"Crap," Ruby kept flailing as she ascended trying to catch Pyrrha.**

 **Once she finally reached her she kicked her to a lower platform. She aimed, but Jaune jumped in front of her and the bullet ricocheted back to her knocking her to a lower one.**

 **"She's not gonna stop," Jaune watched Ruby get back up, "Go," he grabbed a metal wire from his belt and waited. Once Ruby flew up to his level, he wrapped the wire around her neck, and jumped. Both fell to the second to bottom platform. Ruby saw Jaune throw his shield and she shot it out of the air. She readied a missile and aimed at Pyrrha.**

 **"Targeting systems fried," Penny reported.**

 **"I'm eyeballing it," she tore off her helmet. She fired, missed Pyrrha, but hit the joint of the lid and it came crashing down. Pyrrha leapt off the edge and fell to a platform. Ruby put her helmet back on and flew up to her.**

 **Pyrrha defended with a pipe, she was able to get a few hits in before Ruby got her in a choke hold.**

 **"Do you even remember her?" She whispered.**

Pyrrha was scared of what may come out of her mouth. Turns out she was right to be afraid.

 **"I remember all of them," Pyrrha struggled for air.**

 **Ruby kicked off the platform and began descending. Jaune tackled them mid flight and knocked Pyrrha away. But Jaune and Ruby kept falling. Both landed on the concrete in a rather painful fashion. Both dragged themselves up and stared each other down.**

 **"This isn't going to change what happened," Jaune sighed.**

 **"I don't care," Ruby shook her head, "She killed my mom."**

 **Ruby flew down and punched Jaune. The two began brawling until Jaune got behind her and wrapped his arm around her neck. She raised her gun and used the recoil to knock them back. Jaune was on the ground and with Ruby on top, she began to repeatedly punch him, until Pyrrha used Jaune's shield to knock her off. Ruby lay on the ground and fired at Pyrrha. She blocked and threw the shield at Jaune. The two then proceeded to attack Ruby, bringing her to her knees.**

Yang was furious, she was useless while her sister was being attacked.

 **Ruby quickly loaded her shotgun and blasted Jaune away, leaving her with Pyrrha. She grabbed Ruby's wrist and twisted it up, punched her in the chest to force her against the wall. Pyrrha grabbed Ruby's head and began to smash it against the wall. With one ear shattering cry, a white light burst from Ruby's eyes and tore off Pyrrha's arm.**

"What?!" Cinder watched.

"So it's true," Ozpin smiled at his confirmation.

"I wish it was under better circumstances," Summer ran her hand through Ruby's hair, "But I'm glad you discovered your power."

 **Jaune charged at Ruby with a fiery rage in his eyes. The screen seemed to freeze on the shot of Ruby's eye blast, and Jaune using both his hands to hold his shield against it.**

"What is that?" Ruby pointed.

"I'll explain it later," Qrow didn't say anymore.

She looked at Summer and she agreed with Qrow.

 **"I almost killed the wrong person," Ilia put her helmet down.**

 **"Hardly an innocent one," Mercury scoffed.**

 **"Is this what you wanted? To see them rip each other apart?"**

 **"My wife lived outside the city. I thought we'd be safe there. My son was excited," Mercury began to cry, Ilia turned blue, "To see the Iron Rose fly above. He could see her from the car window. I told my wife: 'Don't worry. They're fighting in the city. We're miles from harm." When the dust cleared, and the screaming stopped...it took me two days to find their bodies. My wife still holding my son in her arms. And the Inner Circle? They went home. I knew I couldn't kill them, more powerful people than I have tried. But if I could get them to kill each other, tear them down from the inside. I'm sorry about Adam, he seemed a good man, with a dutiful heir."**

 **"Vengeance has consumed you," Ilia spoke, "It's consuming them, I am through letting it consume me. Justice will come soon enough."**

"Tell that to the dead," Mercury to a gun to his chin, but Ilia blocked it with her hand.

"The living are not done with you yet," Ilia turned red.

"Mercury?" Emerald looked at him.

"I'm good," he shrugged her off, "I can't say I wouldn't do the same, someone killed my family. I'd hunt them down too..."

 **Jaune held Ruby against the wall with his shield, while attacking her with his free hand.**

 **"YOU CAN'T BEAT HIM HAND-TO-HAND!" Penny screamed.**

 **"Analyze his fight pattern!" Ruby panicked.**

 **"SCANNING!" Penny did as she was told, "Countermeasures ready." Everyone could hear the smirk in her voice.**

 **Jaune pulled his shield back for another attack, but Ruby caught it.**

 **"Let's kick his ass!" Ruby knocked the shield from his hand. Jaune returned to his usual attack, but Ruby countered every punch and brought him to his knees in front of Pyrrha.**

 **"She's my friend," Jaune's bloody face looked up at Ruby.**

 **"So was I," with tears in her eyes she punched Jaune again. As he lay on the ground she picked him up and threw him against the concrete wall, "Stay down, final warning."**

 **Jaune dragged himself up, bloody and beaten, he still put his guard up, "I can do this all day."**

 **Ruby raised her gun ready to fire, when Pyrrha grabbed her ankle. She turned around and kicked Pyrrha away. Using the opening Jaune lifted Ruby up and slammed her onto the floor. He jumped on top and began to punch her face again. He picked up his shield, Ruby brought her arms up to block, and Jaune drove it into the power supply in her chest. Once the suit lost power, Jaune retrieved his shield and lifted Pyrrha's arm over his shoulder.**

 **"That shield doesn't belong to you," Ruby sat up, "You don't deserve it! THAT SHIELD BELONGS TO A HERO!"**

 **Jaune dropped his shield.**

"M-Mercury failed right?" Nora tried not to cry or believe what was on screen, "All his planning failed right?"

"Did it?" Raven asked.


	15. For Monty

Everyone was gathered around a tombstone.

Nora was first, she knelt in front of it and poked it, "Boop."

Jaune and Pyrrha placed a bouquet of flowers.

Ruby and Weiss did the same.

Yang held up a single flower, Blake tied her bow around it and placed it.

Sun and Neptune saluted with misty eyes.

Adam took off his mask.

Roman put his hat on top of the tombstone.

Neo left her umbrella.

Penny left a penny.

"Weiss," Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder, "Would you do the honors?"

Weiss nodded and stepped forward.

 _ **Carry on my wayward son**_

 _ **There'll be peace when you are done**_

 _ **Lay your weary head to rest**_

 _ **Don't you cry no more**_

RBY and JNPR joined in.

 _ **Once I rose above the noise and confusion**_

 _ **Just to get a glimpse behind this illusion**_

 _ **I was soaring ever higher, but i flew too high**_

 _ **Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man**_

 _ **Though my mind could think I still was a mad man**_

 _ **I hear the voices when I'm dreaming, I can hear them say:**_

CRME, Adam join.

 _ **Carry on my wayward son**_

 _ **There'll be peace when you are done**_

 _ **Lay your weary head to rest**_

 _ **Don't you cry no more**_

Ozpin and the professors.

 _ **Masquerading as a man with a reason**_

 _ **My charade is the event of the season**_

 _ **And if i claim to be a wise man, it surely means I don't know**_

 _ **On a stormy sea of moving emotion**_

 _ **Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean**_

 _ **I set a course for winds of fortune, but I hear the voices say:**_

Salem and the Dark Circle

 _ **Carry on my wayward son**_

 _ **There'll be peace when you are done**_

 _ **Lay your weary head to rest**_

 _ **Don't you cry no more**_

Raven and Qrow

 _ **Carry on, you will always remember**_

 _ **Carry on, nothing equals the splendor**_

 _ **Now your life's no longer empty**_

 _ **Surely Heaven waits for you**_

Everyone else I've probably forgotten about

 _ **Carry on my wayward son**_

 _ **There'll be peace when you are done**_

 _ **Lay your weary head to rest**_

 _ **Don't you cry no more**_

 _ **Keep moving forward.**_

 **I just want to say thank you to Monty, because without him, none of this would be possible. Without RWBY I wouldn't have made some of the friends I have now. Or have something to turn to if I'm ever feeling low.**

 **Monty forever, we love you, and we miss you.**

 **As for the Fic itself, I'm not repeat NOT abandoning it. I know I've posted more to my others, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten this one. I'm working on two chapters right now, and I've put a poll up to get what you guys want to see next. Depending on how this goes, I'll do it for future chapters as well.**

 **I'll see you next time, remember Keep Moving Forward.**


	16. (XI) Face Off

"Mercury failed right?" Nora tearfully asked, "I mean he's captured and everything's back to normal!"

"Is it?" Raven asked, she wasn't unkind, but the question was hard none the less.

"Y-Yes?" Nora buried her face in Ren's chest.

 **Without warning the screen was back up. Jaune was seen running up a ramp toward a car. He threw a bag under it, then slid under himself. With a flashlight in his mouth he carefully removed the device magnetically attached to the fuel tank.**

"That's a bomb," Ruby examined, "A crudely made bomb, but a bomb none the less."

"How can you tell?" Weiss asked.

Ruby just looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright," Weiss raised her hands in defense, "Stupid question."

 **He walked down the halls with the bag close to his chest. The camera showed his face beaten and bruised with a bandage over his nose.**

"He looks like he just went ten rounds with Yang," Blake examined.

"More like I beat him to a pulp," Yang shook her head.

"You never could hold back," Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

 **Ruby was waiting outside a room labeled: "Pediatric Intensive Care Unit." The elevator ding caught her attention, when she looked up she saw Jaune trying to pry the bag off the metal door.**

" **What did you say to Cinder?" Jaune asked as he sat next to Ruby, "Because she's on to us!"**

"Interesting," Yang tapped her finger on her chin, "Cinder's a bad guy again. Hmmmm."

"Oh hush," Cinder dismissed trying to be casual, "Jaune's a bad guy in these too remember?"

"I'll take back everything when I see you as a good guy in one of these," Yang shrugged.

"Fair Enough," Cinder shrugged.

" **I didn't say jack, what do you mean she's on to us?" Ruby had a mini freak out.**

" **She's walking to her car, then suddenly she isn't!" Jaune explained, "What, does she have some kind of sixth sense?! Jesus, what did you say to her?!"**

" **Could I ask my own question right now at this point?" Ruby lashed back, "Did you just bring a bomb into a hospital?!"**

"TOLD YOU!" Ruby gloated.

"IS HE INSANE?!" Everyone else yelled even Roman, even criminals have lines you don't cross.

" **WHAT?!" Jaune whisper/yelled, "Was I supposed to leave it on her car?"**

" **WHAT, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BRING IT INTO A HOSPITAL?! Oh, my god…"**

"EXACTLY!" Everyone yelled.

" **Look," Jaune calmed down, "Where can we find Cinder? Name a place. One place where I can surprise her, where she won't see me coming. Because her house, the laundry, the restaurants, the factory farm are all wired with cameras. One place, think. Ruby think! Because if you can't tell me, we're dead."**

Roman and Neo gripped each other's hands, Ruby looked back further cementing in her mind that Roman had a gun to his head.

" **I don't-I don't know," Ruby frantically shook her head, "Well, maybe—"**

" **Excuse me," Qrow and Raven approached the two, "Ruby Rose?"**

" **Yeah?" Ruby looked up at them.**

" **Hi, Detectives Branwen and Branwen," they showed their badges to them, "Vale Police."**

It was a shock to hear Raven laugh, even a short one it was still weird, "Me? A cop?! This has to be a comedy, especially if I'm partnered with you!"

"I'd have to agree there," Qrow sighed, "We'd probably kill each other rather than do our jobs…"

" **We were wondering if we could have a few minutes," Qrow smiled, "Go someplace and talk."**

" **About what?" Jaune asked.**

" **I'm sorry I didn't get your name," Qrow deflected.**

" **About what?" Ruby stood up.**

" **It concerns a Junior Wu-Kong," Raven explained, "And a statement you made to his mother."**

" **How about you come with us?" Qrow smiled, "We just want to clear a few things up. No big deal."**

 **Ruby eyeballed the two of them before agreeing and walking with them. Jaune watched in silence as they walked away.**

"WAIT MY KID IS IN INTENSIVE CARE?!" Sun leapt out of his chair. Neptune grabbed him before he made it to the screen.

"Different universe remember?" Neptune dragged him back to his chair, "You can't do anything, and that's not even your son!"

"But…" Sun reluctantly sat back down, "But he is…"

" **So, am I under arrest?" Ruby asked.**

" **No, you're not under arrest," Qrow answered.**

" **So, if I get tired of talking I can get up and leave?" Ruby asked.**

"That's my girl," Qrow laughed, "Fuck em!"

"Language Qrow," Summer snipped.

"You do realize you're a cop, don't you?" Ironwood sighed.

"Not enough liquor in the world to make me accept that one," Qrow smirked.

" **We'd prefer if you didn't," Qrow kept smiling.**

" **You'd prefer?" Ruby asked.**

" **Yep."**

" **Ruby, why'd you tell Blake that the boy had been poisoned?" Raven asked.**

"Shut up Sun," Blake said when she saw the monkey turn toward her. Sun looked over her shoulder and saw the piercing stare of Ghira Belladonna. Sun wisely kept his mouth shut.

" **Look," Ruby sighed, "I think this has been, you know, um, what do you call it? Overblown? Because all I basically said was: "Have the Doctors thought maybe Junior got poisoned?" You know, in a cover-all-bases kind of sense."**

" **Yeah," Qrow nodded, "I'm sure they appreciate that. You helping them out like that. Especially how specific you were."**

" **Ricin," Raven commented, "Wow."**

" **Ricin," Qrow repeated, "That's definitely a big one. You don't see that every day. So, when doctors hear that, they take it very seriously. As do we. As does the Atlas Military."**

" **Okay," Ruby got the point.**

" **Nice of you trying to help out like that and all," Raven nodded, "You know, professional courtesy, sharing your expertise."**

"Wow," Qrow was taken back, "Even in an alternate universe you're still a bitch…" Qrow would've continued if a frying pan hadn't hit him in the head.

" **Look, I ain't got no expertise, all right?" Ruby snapped, "I just, you know—"**

" **You just happen to guess this one rare poison that might be the thing that put this boy in the hospital," Qrow finished for her, "Congratulations. Because his doctors, they think you might just be right. So, why Ricin? Ruby, how'd you come up with that?"**

" **I think," Ruby shrugged, "I don't know, I must've saw it on TV or something."**

 **Qrow scoffed.**

" **Or the Science channel or something like that," Ruby explained, "Sometimes your brain just makes these connections."**

" **Does it?' Qrow asked.**

" **Mine does," Ruby answered.**

" **That's interesting," Qrow mocked.**

" **Look," Ruby had enough, "I gotta get back."**

" **But we're still talking," Raven smiled.**

" **So, I'm not under arrest but I can't leave?" Ruby asked, "So then, I guess I should call my lawyer, right?"**

" **We're just having a simple conversation, Rubes," Qrow tried to talk her down, "Why can't we keep talking, keep it light?"**

" **You know how it is when the lawyers get into it," Raven agreed, "Suddenly, everything's a big pissing match. Like, every time."**

" **Adversarial," Qrow nodded.**

" **Adversarial," Raven echoed, "Then we got to book you, blah blah blah, you know how that is. You've been around the block Ruby. You're no girl scout."**

 **Ruby looked at Raven then at Qrow before finally speaking, "Adam Taurus. That's my guy. So, do I got to call him? Or do you?"**

"Now what trouble has my Rose gotten into?" Summer asked Ruby.

"Nothing!" Ruby quickly answered.

"Oh?" Yang leaned in, "Then why'd they say that?"

"I'm innocent!" Ruby cried.

"You're grounded," Taiyang simply stated.

"DAD!" Ruby pleaded.

"I'm a lawyer?" was all Adam had to say.

 **The phone was ringing off the hook while Ilia sat back and shredded papers. There was a pounding on the door and she ignored it while continuing to shred. The pounding got more intense, but Ilia continued to shred. That is until the glass door broke, and Ilia's skin turned blue as she almost jumped out of her skin. She grabbed a gun from her purse and went to the door, she opened it and pointed it at the entrance. That's when her skin turned yellow.**

" **What the hell are you doing?" She said with as much annoyance as she could muster.**

" **I need Adam," Jaune crawled through the hole he made, "Right now."**

" **So, you break into the place?!" Ilia threw her hands up.**

" **I SEE YOU'RE HERE BY THE WAY!" Jaune responded with equal annoyance, "If you'd bothered to answer the phone or the door, then maybe I wouldn't—forget it!" Jaune pushed past Ilia into Adam's office, "Is he here?"**

" **Is that a serious question?" Ilia followed, "Why would he be here?"**

" **But you know where he is don't you?" Jaune walked up to Ilia, "I need a number."**

 **Ilia laughed at him.**

" **Look," Jaune sighed, "Let me explain something to you. My partner and I—"**

" **Are in danger?" Ilia mocked, "Whoopty-fucking-doo! Why do you think he isn't here? And how is that news exactly? The two of you being in danger? After doing something idiotic? And what gives you the right to break down my door?"**

" **Look," Jaune sighed, felt like he'd been saying that a lot lately, "I just need a number, okay? That's all."**

" **You are such a pain in my ass, you know that? You're the reason I gotta go on unemployment. For god knows how long. I was at least looking forward to getting out of here in the next half hour. But, no, now I gotta wait around all day for a plate glass guy to come fix the door, and who's going to pay for this?"**

" **Okay," Jaune fished for his wallet, "You know what?" he handed her every bill he had, "Here, look, I'm giving you everything. All of it, okay? Look, there's got to be at least 1700 lien, okay? That'll more than cover the cost of the door. Now, I apologize profusely. Please, the phone number."**

 **Ilia looked at the money, then back to Jaune, "A door like this? Is gonna cost way more than 1700."**

" **What, for a plate of glass? No." Jaune shook his head.**

" **Oh, yeah, I bet it does," Ilia nodded, "I bet you it winds up costing…20,000."**

 **Jaune gasped, "Are you insane? Who the hell is going to charge 20,000 for a plate glass door? There's no reputable vendor…" Jaune trailed off once the gears in his head finally started to move.**

"I like her," Emerald nodded.

" **Now I'm thinking 25," Ilia smirked.**

"I really like her," Emerald smiled.

"25,000" Roman nodded, "Nice little chunk-of-change."

"I like that number," Ilia nodded.

"Wanna go make that number?" Emerald turned to Ilia.

 **Jaune glared and stepped closer to Ilia. After a few moments of silence, "I'll be right back." Jaune dove out of the hole he came in through.**

"He has the money?" Roman raised an eyebrow, "Now, Now, what does this Jaune do?"

 **Jaune was speeding down the road when he suddenly got a strange feeling and stopped before he reached his driveway. He pulled a pair of binoculars and spied on his own home. Jaune called the operator and had them connect him to the house next door.**

" **Summer?" Jaune asked, "Hi, it's Jaune Arc. Listen, I wo—I'm fine. I'm fine. How are you? Oh, good. Good. Yes, dogs are…listen. Weiss and I are out of town, on our way to Atlas and Sapphire just told us that she thinks she may have left the burner on on the stove. Yes, god forbid, there's a fire. Well, that's why I'm calling. You see—I just wanted to ask and I'm sorry to do this, but do you still have the key? You do? Good. And would you be willing to-? Oh, you are a lifesaver. Thank you so much. Yes. Okay. I'll await your call. Thank you so much. Bye-Bye."**

"That manipulative little…" Yang growled.

Cinder smirked, _I like this version, playing on her compassion. Well done._

 **With his binoculars he watched Summer walk Zwei from her house to his and she stepped inside. Jaune looked at the back door and saw two men exiting the house. He watched them walk away.**

" **Summer?" he asked once his phone rang, "Oh, that's good. That's a relief. I owe you one bigtime."**

 **Jaune ran from the back into his house. Where he bolted through the sliding glass door, and into the utility closet. Where he lifted the floor board revealing bags of money.**

"Under the house," Roman made a quick mental note, "Not a bad idea."

"What's wrong with a simple safe?" Emerald thought of the overcomplexity of the plan.

 **He grabbed random amounts when he saw the shadows of the men coming back. He quickly closed the door, alerting them to the room. They opened the door seeing an empty room. Jaune was crawling out of the side panel where he ran to the wall and jumped over it.**

"Damn Vomit Boy," Yang sighed, "Not one for fights are you?"

"Pretty good at running away though," Mercury snickered.

"So he can't fight," Roman shrugged, "But he has his brain. That's deadlier than any weapon."

" **So, how's he doing?" Ruby asked.**

 **Qrow and Raven only smirked.**

" **You could at least say, instead of being a couple of dicks about it. Or one dick and one bitch." Ruby sighed.**

" **Ruby if you cared at all about that little boy prove it to me," Qrow leaned forward, "Tell us what you know."**

" **I told you what I know," Ruby deadpanned.**

" **Tell us again," Raven repeated.**

" **What are you broken records?" Ruby sighed, "I was trying to be helpful. End of story."**

" **Guess we'll have to wait and see what the tox screen says," Raven leaned back in her chair.**

"Charming as always," Glynda sighed.

"It's weird seeing me like that," Raven was still a little freaked out that she was a cop.

"You're not the only one," Qrow shook his head, but he was still a cop with his sister.

" **Look at this," Adam entered the room, "Isn't this cozy? What'd you tell them?"**

" **I told him he was a dick," Ruby sighed, "And she was a bitch."**

" **She's a wordsmith," Adam laughed, "Well, detectives, it's been a pleasure. Now, up you go, make like you got manners, make like you respect the rule of law."**

 **As Adam was colorfully taunting them, Qrow and Raven left the room.**

"Wow," Blake chuckled, "Those are words I'd never expected you to say."

"How do you think I feel?" Adam scoffed, "I'm the one who said it."

"It's kinda funny," Ilia smiled, "Seeing you so out of character."

" **Christ," Adam took off his jacket and threw it over the camera, "You two…if I ever get anal polyps, I'll know what to name them."**

" **Are you gonna get me out of here?" Ruby asked.**

" **No," Adam began searching the room for bugs, "Not even if I could. You know, Atlas is going to show up on this ricin thing and then you're in it for the duration." Adam's voice became a whisper, "You know you're a lot safer in here. They just tried to get your partner in his own home."**

" **Jesus," Ruby gasped, "Is he okay?"**

" **Well, he's okay like a fruit fly's okay," Adam nodded, "Now, we're all on the clock here and thanks for that by the way. You two wanna double team a hornet's nest it's a free country, but why do I always get sloppy seconds?"**

Ilia was turning pink as she held in her laughter.

"This Adam seems stupid," Blake sighed.

"Or he could be playing you," Roman chipped in, "Act like an idiot to throw you off guard. I mean he's the lawyer to two criminals, unless they're idiots themselves, they wouldn't get a regular laywer."

" **You got anything for me?" Adam sighed, "Tell me I didn't poke my head out for nothing."**

 **Ruby sighed, "Yeah, I've been thinking…"**

" **And?"**

 **The camera flicked to Jaune and Adam standing outside an abandoned house.**

" **House of Tranquility," Adam wiped the sweat from his brow.**

" **What's the House of Tranquility?" Jaune asked.**

" **It's a disability clinic in downtown Vale," Adam answered, "Our girl tells me Cinder took her there to visit one of the patients. Someone Ruby says you'll definitely remember, Neopolitan. Pink and brown in a wheelchair? Doesn't talk, rings a bell?"**

 **Jaune waved his hand, "Yeah I remember her. So, what, once in every blue moon Cinder goes and visits an old criminal associate? That doesn't help me. I can't very well hide out in a clinic for six months hoping on the off chance she comes back."**

" **It's not even like they're friends," Adam shrugged, "Ruby said it was like she was torturing the girl."**

" **What does that mean?" Jaune looked back at Adam.**

" **She told her the last of her family was dead," Adam confessed, "Cinder seemed to enjoy telling her. Afterword Ruby asked about it. All Cinder would say was that this Neo character murdered someone close to Cinder."**

" **Wait," Jaune had to make sure, "Neo murdered someone close to Cinder?"**

" **I know it sounds not particularly fruitful. But, sorry, that's all I got."**

" **They're enemies," Jaune smiled, "Not friends."**

"That's an understatement," Roman scoffed to Neo.

Neo flipped off Cinder when she wasn't looking.

 **Jaune walked into the clinic where most of them were playing a nice game of Bingo. He looked around and finally saw the familiar head of pink and brown. He walked in front of her and if looks could kill, the glare Neo held would've melted Jaune.**

" **I know you despise me," Jaune spoke to her, "And I know how badly you wanna see me dead. But I'm willing to bet that I know a woman whom you hate even more. I'm offering you an opportunity for revenge."**

 **Neo's glare softened.**

Neo nodded approvingly.

"I wonder what the kid's planning," Roman tapped a finger to his chin.

 **Jaune had been waiting in the parking lot for who knows how long. When his phone suddenly rang, he looked at the caller ID and sighed: "Sapphire."**

" **Hey baby what's up?" Jaune said with a fake cheerfulness Weiss and Pyrrha recognized.**

" **When exactly are you getting here?" she asked.**

" **Just as soon as I can," Jaune half lied.**

" **Look," Sapphire had her father's tick, "This is a serious situation and it's like you're not taking it seriously."**

" **Let me talk to him," Winter patted her shoulder.**

" **Baby," Jaune sighed, "I am taking this seriously. I am concerned about your aunt and her safety. But whomever is making these threats against her I can assure you there's absolutely no interest in me. Besides your mother and I…"**

 **Winter snatched the phone out of Sapphire's hand, "Jaune? Did you hear what she said? Get over here. No more excuses."**

" **Winter, I will be there just as soon as I can, I promise."**

" **You wanna weigh in here?" Winter turned to Weiss holding another silver haired baby, "Maybe talk some sense into him?"**

" **Winter," Weiss rocked the baby in her arms, "He'll get here when he gets here."**

"She knows," Roman leaned back.

"Knows what?" Winter snapped her attention to him.

"She knows what he's doing," Roman gestured to the screen, "It also explains the money under the house. If the kids see they start asking questions. It's hard to explain how you suddenly became rich."

" **I hope you sell plenty of air fresheners," Winter spoke in the most condescending tone she could, "I hope you have a banner day over there."**

 **Jaune held the phone away from his ear.**

"I wonder how many people actually do that to you," Qrow smirked at Winter. Winter turned and gave an icy glare to him. That only seemed to give him lifeforce.

" **Hey everyone," Ironwood entered the room.**

" **Hi James," Weiss waved.**

"On a first name basis?" Ironwood tilted his head, "That's interesting."

"And a genuine one too," Glynda was impressed, "Unlike some people."

Qrow just stuck his tongue out at her.

" **How's everyone holding out?" Ironwood asked.**

 **Everyone just shrugged.**

" **I think we have a possible lead on something," Ironwood spoke to Winter, "I have a girl down at the office. She says she has some kind of information. Thing is, she'll only give it to you, in person."**

 **Winter sighed and nodded for him to continue.**

" **Remember Neopolitan?"**

" **The cripple girl with the bell, rather crap on our floor than talk to us? Don't remember her at all why?"**

" **That's the girl. Her nurse calls us, says she wants to powwow. So, she's at the office for three hours, and still won't talk to anyone but you."**

"You seem rather laid back here Jimmy," Qrow noted.

"Now I see what Raven meant," Ironwood now felt weird.

"See?" Raven pointed, "It's not just me!"

"Anyone else curious as to why Neo crapped on their floor?" Ruby raised her hand.

Neo just giggled silently with Roman.

"I swear you two are five years old," Cinder pinched the bridge of her nose.

" **I don't think this sounds like a good idea," Wiess put the baby in the crib.**

" **I agree," Sapphire nodded.**

" **It's been almost a year since she was a player," Ironwood explained, "Roman's dead, Junior's dead, her nurse checks out. If you did want to meet her, there's no safer place than the office."**

Neo silently growled, her knuckles popped as she balled them into fists. Roman wrapped his arm around her shoulders, even then she was still upset.

" **Thanks for coming Winter," Ironwood sat in the middle of the table while Neo and Winter sat on opposite ends.**

" **No problem at all," Winter sat down.**

" **So, Neo," Winter began, "You got something you wanna tell me?"**

 **Neo rang her bell.**

 **The nurse held up an alphabet and dragged her finger across. Neo hit the bell at every letter she desired.**

" **S-U-C-K,"**

 **Winter rolled her eyes.**

" **Alright," Ironwood stopped her, "That's enough."**

Neo burst into silent laughter while Roman didn't care about his volume.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose.

" **You got that out of your system?" Winter sighed, "Should we try this one more time?"**

 **Neo rang her bell. The nurse repeated the process.**

" **F-U-C…"**

" **We got it," Winter stopped her.**

Neo and Roman began crying from laughing so hard.

Teams RWBY and NPR were rolling their eyes at the continued antics of the criminals.

The professors were doing the same.

" **I'm so sorry," the nurse rolled her back into the elevator.**

 **Neo winked at her while the doors closed.**

" **Well at least this time she didn't shit herself," Winter sighed leaning on her cane, "At least that's progress."**

 **Outside in a parked car, Mercury was watching Neo being loaded into the van. He immediately called Cinder.**

" **Yes?" she answered.**

" **We may have a problem," He spoke, "I got eyes on Atlas, they just had a visitor: Neo."**

 **Cinder's eyes widened as they frantically looked around.**

"Oh Cinder, afraid your little empire is about to come crumbling down?" Roman mocked with a mile-wide smile.

Neo was still laughing at herself.

" **I don't even know what to say to you right now," the nurse rolled Neo back into her room, "You just sit there and think about how far that kind of behavior is gonna get you. Not far, let me tell you." She left the room.**

 **Jaune stepped out of the bathroom, "Any second thoughts?"**

 **Neo did not ring her bell.**

" **Then let's get to work," Jaune carefully closed the door.**

Roman squeezed Neo's hand. Neo looked at Roman and he smiled. Even if he was dead in this universe, his killer was about to get what she deserved. And Neo smiled fiendishly.

 **Mercury pulled into the parking lot and entered the room. Where Neo was just sitting there. He pulled a detector from his coat and began scanning the room. He walked in front of Neo and stared out the window. If he investigated further, he might have noticed Jaune standing on the opposite side.**

"That was a close one," Yang watched Mercury walk away.

"Oh, come on me!" Mercury threw his arms up, "I'm more perceptive than that!"

"Apparently not," Emerald mocked. Cinder couldn't help but snicker.

"Well now you know," Cinder whispered, "Always check around your corners."

 **Ruby was pacing around the room.**

" **Ms. Rose," Qrow entered the room, "You're free to go."**

" **Why?" Ruby started to panic, "What happened?"**

" **Tox screen came back," Qrow explained, "No ricin poisoning."**

 **Ruby stood in stunned silence.**

" **Surprised huh?" Qrow smiled.**

" **No, why should I be?" Ruby started to walk out.**

" **Your hood," he pointed at the chair.**

 **Ruby grabbed it and walked out.**

" **Till we meet again," Qrow watched her leave.**

" **Okay," Ruby was running out of the station with her phone in hand, "Hey, Blake. I'm just checking on Junior. Hey, it sounds like…I mean, listen, just call me if you can, all right? I'm heading back right now." Ruby hung up.**

" **Hey," a man stopped Ruby, "Excuse me."**

 **Emerald tasered Ruby and threw her in the back of a minivan.**

"WHAT THE HELL?!" The Rose/Xiao-Long Family yelled at the screen.

"Time to break some legs!" Nora jumped up.

The students and professors tried to ready their weapons, until they remembered they didn't have them. Not to mention in a teather about to attack a screen…

 **Cinder answered her phone, "Yes?"**

" **We just picked up Rose," the Mercury answered, "No witnesses."**

" **What about Neo?" she asked.**

" **I've checked inside and out, no wires, no camera, no surveillance. Police cruiser rolled through about an hour ago. Seemed routine. It's just her alone, in her room."**

" **Alright," Cinder nodded, "I'm on my way."**

" **Maybe it's better if I do this myself…"**

" **I do this," Cinder shut down Mercury's statement and hung up.**

"Making it personal is a mistake," Raven whispered.

"Even by her standards this is sloppy," Qrow begrudgingly agreed with his sister.

Cinder's knuckles popped as they curled into a fist, she would do exactly what this Cinder would do, and she was getting more and more aggravated the more she was mocked for it.

 **She arrived in her signature red dress. Mercury stepped out first and went inside. After a few moments passed Cinder's phone began to ring.**

" **It's all clear," Mercury hung up as fast as he called.**

" **Wait here," Cinder told her driver.**

 **She stepped out and entered the clinic.**

Neo flipped off the screen with both hands. Roman quickly threw her hands down but nodded and smiled at her. Cinder could feel the animosity brewing behind her.

 **Mercury turned Neo around to face Cinder.**

" **What kind of person talks to Atlas?" she asked Neo, "No one, no one at all."**

 **Mercury pulled a syringe from his jacket, while Cinder moved a chair in front of Neo. Neo refused to meet Cinder's eyes.**

" **A crippled little rata," Cinder scoffed, "What a reputation to leave behind."**

 **Mercury handed Cinder the syringe.**

" **Is that how you want to be remembered?" Cinder asked, "Last chance to look at me Neo."**

 **Cinder was about to inject Neo when she finally met her eyes. Cinder stopped for a moment when she finally looked at her. But Neo's face quickly turned into a vicious smile as she began pressing her bell.**

 **Cinder looked down and saw the wires going from the bell, to a bomb under her wheelchair.**

" **NO!" Cinder jumped but the bomb exploded anyway.**

 **Cinder walked into the hallway and fixed her dress.**

"What is she made of?!" Taiyang gasped.

 _HaHa!_ Cinder laughed.

 **When the camera revealed half her face was gone. Finally, she slumped over dead. In the room itself, Neo's chair was obliterated, and Mercury's metal leg fell from the ceiling.**

Neo clapped happily while Roman was shaking in his seat barely containing his laughter.

Cinder rubbed the half of her face that was blown off. Mercury patted her shoulder sympathetically. Emerald swore revenge, but Cinder waved her off.

Nora was happy because there was an explosion, not to mention every bad guy she knew was caught in it too. Ren and Pyrrha reluctantly agreed.

RWBY was more concerned about different things. Ruby kidnaped, Winter's life in danger, Blake's son in the hospital, and Yang no where to be found.

 **Ruby poured a tub of liquid into a larger vat. She was wearing a gas mask as she screwed the lid on and tossed the smaller jug away from her. She saw a large flathead on a brillow-pad next to her.**

" **You wanna cook with a broken arm?" Emerald growled, "Next step Co2. Get going."**

 **Ruby's shoulder's slumped as she turned on the gas. The buzzer for the elevator went off.**

" **I better hear them click," Emerald waved a pair of handcuffs in front of Ruby's face.**

 **Ruby did as she was told and handcuffed herself to a nearby desk. Emerald walked to the service elevator and let it in.**

" **What?" she asked the guard on it, "You got a problem with stairs?"**

 **Jaune stepped out from behind them and shot them both.**

 **Ruby tried to hide herself at the sound of the gunshots when she saw Jaune walk toward her stained with blood. He dropped the gun and Ruby stared at him.**

" **Cinder's dead," he finally spoke, "We've got work to do."**

"Damn Jaune," Yang stared with wide eyes.

"Could he be any sexier?" Coco purred.

"COCO!" Velvet scolded, "Behave yourself!"

"She's not wrong," Raven smirked.

"Dear god," Qrow drank his flask empty.

The other professors rolled their eyes.

 **Ruby and Jaune dressed in full hazmat suits nodded at one another. Ruby cut off the water supply to the sprinklers while Jaune picked up a fire axe. With a mighty swing he punctured the metal barrels of phenylacetic acid.**

 **Meanwhile Ruby was tossing random bottles of chemicals everywhere. Kicking whatever she couldn't throw. One larger container she held with both hands while making sure that one went everywhere.**

 **Jaune checked on the timer he rigged. The two of them went to the top of the mega lab and quickly dressed back into their regular clothes. They tossed their suits into the lab while wiping down everything they'd touched.**

 **Ruby pulled the fire alarm. But both were confused when the workers, both human and faunus did nothing.**

" **Let's go!" Jaune yelled.**

 **The scene changed to the timer and it sparked causing a fire that ultimately caused the Death of the Mega Lab.**

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Nora bounced watching the fire and building shake.

Ren and Pyrrha smiled at the Sugary Bomber's antics.

"I agree!" Ruby high-fived Nora.

 **Jaune was standing on the top floor of a parking garage. When Ruby stepped onto it.**

" **He's gonna pull through," Ruby said near tears.**

" **Yeah?" Jaune smiled.**

" **It looked kinda touch-and-go there for a while but he's gonna make it."**

" **Oh, thank god," Jaune was relieved.**

" **You know, they're still saying it wasn't the ricin," Ruby admitted.**

" **Then what was it?" Jaune asked.**

" **Saying it was most likely a flower called Lily of the Valley," Ruby nodded, "It's, like, common. It got these red berries on it that I guess taste sweet and sometimes kids eat them and wind up poisoning themselves. And that's it, nothing more. So, Cinder didn't poison him after all. Still, she had to go right?"**

" **Damn right," Jaune nodded, "Cinder had to go."**

" **You know I should get back, Blake is waiting."**

 **Jaune and Ruby shook hands before departing. Jaune took a moment to enjoy the peace he had when his phone began to ring.**

" **Jaune?" Weiss asked.**

" **How are you doing?" Jaune asked.**

" **How am I doing?" Weiss scoffed, "How are you doing?"**

" **I'm doing quite well," Jaune laughed, "I'm good."**

" **Jesus Jaune," Weiss was away from everyone, "The news here. Cinder Fall is dead. He was blown up with some criminal we fought back in school. And Atlas has no idea what to make of it. Do you know about this?"**

" **It's over," Jaune finally said, "We're safe."**

 **Weiss made sure no one was behind her listening in, "Was this you? What happened?"**

" **I won," Jaune hung up.**

 **Jaune passed Cinder's car on the way out of the parking lot. The finishing scene was of Jaune's garden. The camera slowly zooming in on a plant with the label: "Lily of the Vally."**

"THAT BASTARD POISONED MY SON/GRANDSON!?" Sun and Ghria nearly leapt at the screen if not for Neptune, Blake, and Kali holding them down.

"Sun calm down!" Neptune tried to reason with him, "You heard Ruby! He's going to be ok!"

"HE STILL POISONED HIM!" Sun eventually calmed down, "Stupid fucking evil Jaune, piece of shit, asshole…" Sun descended into cursing under his breath while Blake tried rubbing his back.

/./

So, quick little shout out to: 135 for giving me this idea.

/./

 **This preview has been approved for APPROPRIATE AUDIENCES.**

"Oh, a trailer!" Ruby watched the red band appear on screen.

" **I love you Jaune Arc," Blake had her head resting on his shoulder, "We can fight this."**

" **You're right," Jaune voiced over x-rays of his chest, "Cancer's only in my liver, lungs, prostate, and brain. All things I can live without."**

"J-Jaune has cancer?" Nora's happiness seemed to fade in an instant.

" **What if we I told you: "We can make you better?" Roman was asking Jaune wearing a hoodie. A clip was a silhouette of him walking through a club then into an alley, "We can give you abilities most huntsmen only dream of. Make you a superhero."**

"A superhero?" Mercury asked, "Aren't we already superheros? I mean we have powers and everything."

" **Just promise you'll do right by me," Jaune was in a gurney, "So, I can do right by someone else." A flash of Jaune and Blake lying in bed appeared, "Don't make the supersuit green, or animated!"**

"Oooooh," Yang giggled, "Blakey's turn!"

"Shut up!" Blake blushed.

 **The next scene was Jaune suspended by his arms being punched. Drowned in motor oil. Suffocating in a glass chamber.**

" **On thing that never survives this place," Adam looked down at him, "Is a sense of humor."**

" **Oh, we'll see about that PoshSpice," Jaune smiled as he was restrained in the bed." Adam walked away, "Oh come on, you're going to leave me in here with Less Angry Winter Schnee."**

 **Cinder punched him in the face.**

"HEY!" Weiss, Winter, Cinder, and Emerald shouted.

 **EXPLOSION!**

"You have my attention!" Nora cheered.

 _ **I wanna shoop baby**_

 **A man in a red suit was singing along, kicking his legs over the highway he was sitting on. When he then stood up and dropped himself into a passing car.**

 **The red suit began punching and breaking bones along to the beat of the song. The music was replaced with screams when the car rolled onto its sides. Other sedans opened their doors revealing men inside with guns. The window struggled to roll itself down.**

" **WAIT!" He held his hands out of the window.**

"JAUNE?!" Everyone screamed.

" **You may be wondering why the red suit? Well it's so bad guys can't see me bleed. This guy's got the right idea!" he pointed to one of them, "He wore the brown pants!"**

 **Jaune did a twirl as he jumped into the air and shot them.**

" **Daddy needs to express some rage," he said in a lower voice as he landed.**

 _ **X gon give it to ya**_

 **A motorcycle drove by shooting wildly at Jaune.**

" **MOTHERFUCKER!" Jaune stared at the shooter through the hole in his arm.**

"SWEAR!" Ruby and Summer pointed at the screen.

 **A man drew a knife and ran to Jaune, but Jaune had two swords a they needed a new home. In his stomach.**

" **UGH!" He thrusted the air.**

 **WITH GREAT POWER, appeared across the screen.**

 **Jaune was sitting ontop of a body, surrounded by more dead bodies, inside a bathroom with blood coating the walls.**

 **Jaune was bisecting people with his swords in a narrow hallway.**

 **Cinder was holding Ren by his neck against the wall.**

 **Jaune hit Adam with a fire extinguisher and tackled him through a burning pillar.**

 **COMES GREAT IRRESPONSIBLITY…**

 **Jaune was in a strip club.**

 **Then he had a naked Blake pinned to the wall. While she moaned with every thrust.**

"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!" Ghira shouted, "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

"Goddamn Blakey!" Yang cheered.

Blake wanted to be ashamed, but she wasn't.

 **An all metal Ironwood looked down at Jaune before backhanding him into a car. Ruby sat on the hood of a car with a raised eyebrow.**

" **It reeks of old lady pants in here," Jaune slipped on a pair of rubber crocks.**

" **Sounds like you got a dick in your mouth," Glynda commented prompting Jaune to leave the room.**

Glynda smirked at her parallel self.

 **Jaune removed his hood finally revealing his disfigured face.**

" **Oh," Ren gasped, "Motherfucker, you are hard to look at."**

" **Like a testicle with teeth?" Jaune nodded.**

" **You look like a Nevermore face-fucked a topographical map of Vale."**

" **Exactly," Jaune downed a shot.**

 **Jaune was seen sword fighting with Adam.**

 **Jaune did another twirl in the air when he shot three guys with one bullet.**

 **He stood back up, deeply inhaled the smoke from his guns, "OOOOOH," he moaned, "I'm touching myself tonight."**

"TMI," Weiss sighed.

 **DEADJAUNE**

" **You. Are. Haunting," Ren continued, "You look like an avocado had sex with an older avocado…"**

" **Thank you…" Jaune sighed.**


	17. (SC-I) A Knight's Heart

**I owe Lord Hell Phoenix a huge apology. This took way longer than it should have. Mainly because I wanted it to be perfect, and I have a huge procrastination problem I've done nothing about. So, I'm sorry!**

… **  
It was shaping up to be a normal day at Beacon. Students were either training or doing any assignments they still had to do. Meanwhile, more exchange students were showing up for the Vytal Festival in a few weeks. A few students were just fooling around or doing whatever they felt like to relax after classes and the usual stress of their day to day lives.**

 **Team RWBY was doing exactly that, the four girls were sitting in their dorm room trying to unwind on this average morning. Ruby was sitting on her bunk and going through a weapon's magazine, looking for any upgrades for Crescent Rose. Although, she wasn't as focused as usual, her inner nerd just wasn't into it. Weiss was at her desk, reviewing her notes from the various classes she had throughout the week. But unlike usual, her mind kept wandering from her task. Blake was lounging in her bunk, reading one of her favorite books. But similar to her teammates, she was getting distracting and had to keep rereading every paragraph she was on. Finally, Yang was laying on her back on her bed while going through her scroll. But going with the theme of the world, was finding nothing to occupy her time.**

 **That's when Ruby threw her magazine into the air and fell back onto her bed with groan, "I'm bored!" Then said magazine fell back onto her face in a comical fashion.**

"That didn't take long," Weiss sighed, "Can you relax and give a minute please?"

"I'm sorry, but it's boring enough going through it, watching it is even worse!" Ruby whined

"You just don't appreciate atmosphere," Blake quipped.

 **Yang looked across to her sister and pocketed her scroll. She turned to face her while using her hand to support her chin, "Yeah, same here, sis."**

 **Blake used this time to put her book down and turned to sit sideways on her bed, to face her two teammates, since her partner was above her. "Same." She said in a lackluster tone.**

 **The three then turned to their white themed teammate. She could feel their stares on her but decided to ignore them and focus on her work. She was Weiss Schnee and she had a task to complete. But a few seconds later, she sighed and turned around to face them, "My sentiments exactly."**

"HA!" Ruby pointed victoriously at her team.

 **They sat in a silence before their leader spoke up, "So, what should we do?"**

 **Yang shrugged, "No idea. We've trained all week and for once, I don't feel like fighting anyone. Wanna head down to Vale?"**

 **Weiss looked over at Yang, "We can't. We're confined to Beacon grounds for the rest of the week. Since you destroyed a good portion of them, when you lost your temper and chased a student around campus because he nicked your hair." Weiss reminded her with a glare. Yang looked away sheepishly as she played with her hair.**

Ruby rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Yang mirrored her onscreen self and fiddled with her hair. Weiss surprisingly did the same as Ruby while Blake just smirked.

 **"We could hang out with CFVY." Ruby suggested.**

 **Blake shook her head, "Coco dragged her team to Vale to do some shopping, and they'll be gone all day."**

"True," Velvet nodded.

"What?" Coco looked at her partner, "I don't hear you complaining nightly."

The speed at which Velvet turned red could've broken the sound barrier and she pulled her ears over her eyes. Coco victoriously laughed throwing her arm around Velvet's shoulders.

 **They fell into another silence for a while. That was before the boxer came up with an idea and sat up on her bunk. "How about a little bet between us?" she said with a grin.**

 **"I don't know, Yang." Ruby started. "The last one didn't end too well." No one wanted to remember the last bet their team had. It ended with a lot of crying and someone almost needing reconstructive surgery.**

 **"I already apologized for that." Yang defended herself. "This one will be different; no violence will be involved and we'll all have an equal chance in winning."**

"What kind of bets do you have?" Winter gasped.

"The fun kind," Nora and Yang answered.

"The dangerous kind," Weiss and Blake

"The migraine generating kind," Glynda sighed.

"That's my girl!" Taiyang high-fived his daughter.

"Dad no," Ruby quickly pulled his hand back.

 **"I'm scared to ask what challenge that head of yours has concocted." Weiss said with her usual sass.**

 **"It's fine. The bet will be simple: first one to get a date by the end of the day, wins!"**

 **"That's it? Isn't that a bit, degrading?" Weiss asked.**

 **Yang scoffed, "What, we're all attractive ladies. What's wrong with us trying to find a date? One of us just being better than the rest of the team is just a bonus." She said with a smirk.**

"Bit of a fat head this one," Winter whispered.

"Jealous someone half your age has a better body and has a better chance of finding a man than you Ice-Queen Snr.?" Yang turned around.

"How old do you think I am?" Winter glared.

"That's my niece!" Qrow cheered. Raven snickered, even if she hardly ever spent much time with her, she really was her mother's daughter.

 **Ruby was slightly embarrassed by the thought, but she had an idea on who she would ask. It'd be the perfect cover to ask them out without Yang going full 'Protective Sister mode'. Weiss didn't want any part of this, but Yang was being overconfident, and it was grating on her nerves. It would be good to wipe that smile off her face by winning and showing she didn't need blessed 'assets' to win. Not that she was jealous or anything! Blake just rolled her eyes, she really wasn't interested in dating anyone right now, but it would at least break up the boredom she was feeling. They decided they were not about to back down to the challenge the blonde just laid down. "But, this isn't exactly fair." Ruby pointed out.**

 **"Why's that?" Blake asked.**

 **"Because you and Weiss can just ask Sun and Neptune. They'd agree instantly. And nobody who goes to Beacon will agree to go out with me because Yang has threatened every person that looked at me for more than five seconds." She pouted with that.**

"You seem upset pipsqueak," Qrow leaned forward, "Are you upset Yang is forcing all the boys away from you?"

"N-No," Ruby blushed.

"Ruby," Taiyang, Summer, and Yang stared at her.

 **"Plus, you've got a dozen guys that have been trying to… seduce you, Yang. Not exactly fair." Weiss added, trying to not be crass.**

Ruby looked at everyone still staring at her, "Oh come on, you're not giving Yang any shit for this?!"

"Language!" Taiyang and Summer scolded.

"Double standard," Ruby descended into grumbling while crossing her arms.

 **Yang shrugged with a smirk, "Not my fault that I'm awesome and that a bunch of pervs were gawking at my baby sister. But you have a point there." Yang brought her hand to her chin and gently rubbed it as she was thinking. She came to a resolution and snapped her fingers, "I got it. What if we all try to get a date with the same guy?" They all looked at her confused, so she elaborated. "We'll choose someone we know and we'll all have one chance to ask them out. If he agrees, that person wins."**

 **They all thought about it, "That could work." Blake responded.**

 **"As much as I want to disagree, it would make things easier." Weiss added but still wondering, why she was going along with this. "But, let's agree that we are not allowed to sabotage the others' attempts." Her teammates nodded with that condition.**

 **"But, who are we going to choose?" Ruby asked.**

"I got twenty bucks saying Yang's gonna win," Qrow took a swig from his flask.

"How do you figure?" Taiyang turned around.

"Seriously Tai?" Qrow stared at his teammate with a blank look, "Daughter of the guy who got half the team pregnant?"

 **"We all agree that it won't be anyone from CRDL." Blake stated. The three nodded instantly.**

"Thank the gods!" Team RWBY and NPR yelled. Sitting through trying to seduce anyone from CRDL would've been a total nightmare.

 **"Sun and Neptune are out for obvious reasons. Yatsuhashi and Fox, as well." Weiss added.**

 **"What about Ren?" Yang asked.**

 **As soon as she says that, images of grenades, a massive hammer, broken legs and manic laughter fill their heads. "NOO!" They all yell at once. They all were trying to calm down when Ruby had a thought, "Why not Jaune?"**

"Goddamn right," Nora smirked snuggling up to Ren.

"Oh hell no," Pyrrha clenched her fists.

 **They all looked at her before Weiss spoke up, "That dolt? Why him?"**

 **"Actually, that makes sense." Blake answered.**

 **"Yeah, I'm okay with that?" Yang agreed.**

 **Weiss looked at them stunned, "What!?"**

 **Yang just rolled her eyes, "Look, Jaune knows all of us pretty well. So, if he agrees, we'll have a more genuine win. Plus, afterwards, we could just explain to him that we don't feel that way about him and he'll understand. No friendships will be hurt by it. And if you don't want to go out with him, Weiss, you could just make up an excuse and he probably won't argue with it."**

"That's a bad idea," Cinder shook her head, "I thought I was the bad guy in these."

"What?" Yang defended her onscreen self, "That's perfectly reasonable."

"You're going under the assumption he doesn't like you back," Cinder explained, "Say that he does, one or all of you just got his hopes higher than they've ever been, and simultaneously shattered them all for some bet. Nobody walks away from a break up unchanged, someone always gets hurt."

"But we're not actually dating," Yang pointed out, "We're not even going on a date, just seeing if we can get one."

"You say no friendships will be hurt," Cinder continued, "Except you'll probably ruin it beyond repair."

 **Weiss had to agree with her points. But another thought came to mind, "What about Pyrrha? What will she think?"**

 **"Pyrrha's out with her manager for the day, so she won't be a problem. And it's only a single date. Maybe it'll give her the incentive to ask him out herself." Yang explained.**

"AND you're doing it behind the back of someone who ACTUALLY likes him!" Cinder laughed, "Justifying it as incentive for HER!" Cinder nearly fell on the floor laughing.

Pyrrha felt her stomach turn digesting the information both on screen and off. She felt herself glaring at Team RWBY, but it wasn't this RWBY's fault. Wasn't it? This different universe thing kept giving her a headache.

 **They all looked at each other for a bit, just considering it. "So, we all agree?" Yang asked. The other three nodded and Yang smirked, "Alright then. So, the first person to get a date with Jaune, wins the bet!"**

 **Yang was making her way down the halls of Beacon, looking for one Jaune Arc. After her team had agreed to the bet, they all decided to draw straws to make some sort of order to it. The results were Yang first, followed by Ruby, then Blake and finally Weiss. With that settled, she decided to go win herself this bet, asap. She grabbed a 'quick' shower before getting dressed. Although, Weiss would say she was still in there for too long. With a roll of her eyes and a smirk, she left her dorm room to complete her objective. There was no way that Jaune would turn her down of all people. Most people would look at her and do anything to get a chance at her. But they'd be out of luck, she had gone on plenty of dates but only with people she knew would be respectful of her. She may be a flirt, but she was not a bimbo and she would** _ **not**_ **be treated as one.**

Cinder snorted with a guffaw, "A little fat headed aren't we?"

Yang glared and reeled her fist back, only for Blake to lower it with one hand. Weiss mirrored her onscreen self as she watched Yang's 'quick' shower. Ruby and Taiyang had flashbacks of cold showers because all the hot water had mysteriously vanished after someone spend the better part of an hour in there.

 **This was actually a win-win scenario for her. She could win the bet and she finally found a way to repay the blonde knight. She was a bit concerned that Ruby's first friend at Beacon was a guy, so she decided to keep an eye on the two. She didn't want her first friend to do anything to hurt her little sister. She was pleasantly surprised to find that he treated her very well, kind of like a little sister. Ever since they were kids, Yang had always been watching out for her sister but now with Jaune, she didn't have to stress out all the time about Ruby's safety. He was there to give her a hand if Yang couldn't.**

 **Since then, Yang had been trying to find a way to thank him. Now she had the perfect way. The two could go on a date and enjoy themselves. Jaune could have a date with a, in her humble opinion, great girl and Yang could learn a bit more about him. 'Maybe I'll take him to a club?' She thought to herself, 'I could get him to unwind and maybe show off some more of his dance moves he demonstrated at the dance. I wonder what drunk Jaune would be like?' She chuckled to herself with that.**

"Your definition of a date is nauseating," Cinder rubbed her forehead.

"What?" Yang was appalled, "I enjoy those kinds of dates!"

"And yet you wonder why you're single," Cinder sighed.

Blake grabbed Yang's wrist before she had a chance to raise it against Cinder.

 **"Hey, Yang!" a voice boomed, snapping her out of her thoughts.**

 **Yang looked up to see Nora skipping up to her in her usual work out gear. Yang returned her smile and waved slightly, "Hey, Nora." She returned as the bomber stopped in front of her. "Just finished your workout?"**

 **"Kinda." She replied cheerily. "I was actually helping Jaune work out."**

 **Yang smirked at that thought. "What, did you drag his scrawny butt down there?"**

 **To her surprise, Nora shook her head. "Nope. Jaune dragged me down there. He wanted to work out and I'm his personal trainer, so he had to take me along."**

 **"Wait, I thought Pyrrha was training him?" Yang asked confused.**

 **"She does but Pyrrha only helps him with his fighting. Our Fearless Leader asked Ren to help him with meditation and aura training. And he asked me to get him in shape." She smiled in pride, "Those two might be helping him on the battlefield, but those muscles he's sporting are** _ **my**_ **handiwork."**

 **Yang needed a second to take all that in. 'Jaune** _ **willingly**_ **had Nora train him? Huh, he's got more guts than I gave him credit for.' Yang looked back to Nora, "So, what did you guys do?"**

 **"Jauney wanted a full workout today. So, we did the normal." Nora started to count off her fingers as she listed the exercises. "Hundred one-armed pull-ups with each arm, two hundred squats, hundred-fifty sit-ups, hundred-fifty push-ups with me on his back, run ten kilometers on the treadmill while wearing twenty-pound weights on his arm and legs." She said cheerfully.**

"You held back," Ren and Pyrrha simultaneously flash-backed to when Jaune was in a full body cast, Pyrrha had a sore shoulder, and Ren had a strained neck and broken arm.

Nora mischievously giggled, "Yeah I did."

 **Yang just stared at her. "Whoa, is he still breathing?"**

 **Nora nodded, "Yup. He wanted to do** _ **more**_ **afterwards but I told him not to push himself too far. We don't need him hurting himself."**

 **Yang gave a low whistle. "Damn, he's dedicated, I'll give him that."**

 **Nora looked away, "Well, yeah. But there's a little more to it." Yang just gave her a quizzical look and Nora sighed, "Jaune doesn't like being negative around us, so he tries to hide it. But while we were working out, I could just tell. He's angry about something and it's really bothering him."**

"He knows," Cinder immediately answered.

"Knows what?" Yang asked, "You know you've done more talking here than in any other universe."

"This one's interesting," Cinder shrugged, "It's a day away from life's problems. I like days like these, where the biggest concern is just getting a date. Wish there were more days like these."

"Huh," Yang was surprised getting a genuine answer from Cinder, "Back to the real question: "What does Jaune know?"

"He knows the bet," Cinder explained, "That's why he's working out. Put yourself in his shoes, what would you do when four of your friends try to auction you off like a slab of meat?"

"We aren't doing that," Yang grimaced.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Cinder shrugged.

 **"And you don't know what it is?" Yang asked in concern.**

 **She just shook her head, "Nope. But he'll talk to us when he's ready." She looked over her shoulder towards the gym back down the hall. She then looked back to Yang, "Would you mind keeping an eye on him? I don't want him hurting himself."**

 **Yang nodded with a thumbs up, "Leave it to me."**

 **Nora gave her an unrestrained smile, "Thanks, Yang! If you'll excuse me, I need to get to my dorm to take a shower." With that, she skipped off down the hallway.**

 **Yang watched her go for a second before she went down the hall and into the gym. She looked around and saw several students using the equipment there, but she didn't see Jaune anywhere. She then heard the familiar sound of someone working on a punching bag and looked to the back of the gym. There she saw Jaune, dressed in a skin tight white shirt with blue shorts. She walked over and noticed a few things. His shirt was drenched with sweat, practically making it see through and she wasn't hating the view. Jaune was using a rudimentary boxing stance. It was obvious that he was an amateur, but he was showing some promise. 'Maybe I could offer to train him?' she thought to herself, half-seriously. The last was how hard he was hitting the bag and the restrained anger in his eyes. He was hitting the bag like it had insulted his family or worse.**

"Rage is one hell of a motivator," Taiyang sighed, "Too bad it's only short term."

Summer squeezed his shoulder. Qrow and Raven didn't feel like acknowledging what he said.

 **Yang decided it was better to not distract him and stood back to watch. Jaune carried on for a few more minutes with a few steady combos. Until he started to hit the bag even harder and faster. She saw his eyes narrow and a snarl appear on his face as he hit it one last time. The force behind his hit tore the bag off the chain and sent sand all over the floor. That shocked her to say the least. Jaune stood there for a bit, arm still extended while he was breathing raggedly. When his breathing calmed slightly, he dropped his fist, "Damn. Broke another one."**

"He's got potential," Taiyang nodded with approval, "Brute strength isn't everything."

 **Yang decided to make herself known, "Nice punch there, Vomit Boy." She said with her usual swagger.**

 **Jaune stiffened before he turned to face her. For a second, Yang saw shock on his face mixed with some other emotion. But it was gone quickly and replaced with his usual smile. "Hey, Yang. What brings you here?"**

 **"Nora said she was training you. I was curious and decided to see it for myself." She smiled at him as he was undoing the wraps around his fists.**

 **Jaune nodded as he was freeing his hands, "Well, looks like you missed it. I'm finishing up."**

 **"Too bad." Yang smirked, "From what I heard, you've got some insane stamina and all that sweat backs it up. I wonder if you have the physical endowment to fit that stamina?" She asked with a flirtatious wink.**

Team RWBY groaned simultaneously. Except NPR, they shared a dorm with him, and they knew secrets no one else did. Luckily they didn't notice Pyrrha's face matching her hair at that moment.

 **Jaune blushed like she expected but then he snorted, "Wouldn't you like to know." He was finally done with the wrapping and looked down at his shirt. "But you are right. All this sweat is making this thing annoying." He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it off with a sigh, "Much better."**

 **"I'll say." Yang muttered. She was not expecting this. When he wore the dress at the dance, she saw how toned his legs and arms were. But now, she could see his developing abs and pecs, they weren't at Sun's level but they were still appealing. And all the sweat was making his skin shine incredibly. She swallowed as she fought the blush trying to form on her cheeks. 'Why does he hide** _ **that**_ **under a hoodie?!'**

"Are you seriously THAT shallow?" Cinder rolled her eyes, "Also, you're at a school that trains you to fight monsters and kill people, are you seriously saying that you weren't expecting that? I mean honestly name me one out of shape hunter."

"Port," they all answered.

"Considering Barty and I stopped the invasion you couldn't," Port reminded them, "I would chose my words more carefully."

 **"You say something, Yang?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.**

 **"J-just that it probably does feel better getting that off." She quickly said with a nervous chuckle.**

 **Jaune just looked at her confused, "Okay?" He then looked like he got an idea, "Hey, Yang, mind spotting me? I wanna get a few reps in but Nora left before I could."**

 **Yang didn't trust herself to speak so she just nodded. Jaune gave her a grateful smile and the two went over to the bench. Jaune loaded the weights and laid down on said bench. Yang took her spot by his head and had her arms ready to grab the bar if he needed help. Yang gave him a nod and he returned it. He then removed the bar and started his reps. Yang stood there and tried to pay attention, in case he needed her. But her eyes kept wandering to his body as he worked out and it was getting her a bit hot and bothered. His grunts and groans were not helping at all either.**

"Worst spotter ever," Ruby shook her head.

"Says you," Yang scoffed, "I got the best seat in the house."

 **She then started to think to herself, 'I didn't know Jaune was so…hot.' Her eyes widened slightly. 'Did I just say that? About Jaune?' She looked back down to him and their eyes met for a second and he gave her a strained smile due to the weight he was lifting. She gave him a smaller one as a blush crept onto her cheeks. She was shocked, again. 'When was the last time I was flustered over a guy? And why is it Jaune of all people? Sure, he's nice, kind-hearted, a great friend. He treats Ruby so well and he has always treated me with respect…. Wait a minute, do I have a crush on Jaune?!' Her eyes widened more with that. This revelation was shocking to her but what was more shocking was the fact of how okay she was with it now that she did know.**

Pyrrha broke the cup holder in her armrest. This wasn't fair, everyone knew how she felt about Jaune. Now because of some stupid bet they all suddenly have feelings for him?

 **"One-hundred." Jaune said in a strained voice as he put the bar back. That pulled Yang from her thoughts as she saw him sit up and use his shirt to dry off some of the sweat on his body. He turned back to her with that same smile, "Thanks, Yang. I owe you one."**

 **Yang was still thinking about her feelings when he said that. 'Maybe this really is a win-win.' She smiled at him, but unlike the usual ones, it was genuine and sincere. "I might have an idea on what you can do."**

 **"Okay, I'm all ears."**

 **"You could go out with me. I think it would be fun." She said.**

"Subtle as a brick to the face aren't you firecracker?" Qrow chuckled.

"It's a date," Raven scoffed, "Just ask instead of dancing around it."

 **Jaune just looked at her for a while and she was shocked when he looked away for a second. He turned back to her with a neutral expression. "Sorry, Yang, but I can't." Yang felt herself deflate at that. "I need to grab a shower. I'll see you later." He turned to the showers and started walking away.**

 **Yang just stood there, staring at his retreating form. She was shocked to say the least. "What just happened?"**

"Oh yeah," Cinder nodded with confidence, "He knows. Do you need any more explanation than that?"

"Maybe he really is busy?" Yang bordered on anxiety and anger. Even if it was another version of her, nobody, NOBODY turns down Yang Xiao-Long.

 **Ruby was walking around Beacon, looking for her best friend. Well, guy best friend. A while ago, Yang had messaged the rest of their team, saying that Jaune had turned her down. That was a shock to the three of them. They were all under the impression that if a friend asked him out, he'd at least give them a chance. Not just turn them down.**

 **Ruby was still kind of shocked that Yang was turned down. She couldn't remember the last time that happened. Although, she really didn't want to know that much about her love life. But that was good for her, now she got her chance at asking Jaune out. When she suggested they could use Jaune as the person for their bet, she wanted to punch herself in the face. First, because she really didn't want to use one of her friends like that. Second, she may or may not have a small crush on him and didn't want her teammates to date him. After she realized she had feelings for him, it annoyed her greatly to see him constantly trying to ask out Weiss, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to ruin their friendship if he didn't feel the same.**

"A little late to grow a consciences," Emerald snickered.

"Right?" Cinder giggled.

Ruby pulled her knees to her chest. Yang again tried to attack Cinder, but Weiss and Blake held her down.

 **It didn't start off this way. Originally, she just saw Jaune as her first friend at Beacon and fellow team leader. She liked that he was kind of dorky like her and the fact that both of them wanted to be Hunters for the same reason was awesome in her book. The two started to hang out with each other more and more; either to help each other with their homework or just to vent their frustrations from the day before. The more time they spent together, the closer they got until they became best friends.**

 **She never considered that she had feelings for him, mostly because she was usually too busy trying to make her dream a reality to think about it. The first time the thought even came to her was a few months back. She had to stay behind after her History class because she had fallen asleep during it. Afterwards, she rushed to the cafeteria as quickly as she could. That day they were serving chocolate chip cookies and Beacon's were the best she ever had, not counting her mother's, and she desperately wanted some. When she finally got there, she was devastated to find that they were all out. She then somberly got her dinner and made her way over to the table her team and JNPR were at.**

"Hey!" Yang took offense, "I thought you liked the cookies I baked!"

"Yang," Ruby sighed, "You broke the oven when the dough got into your hair."

Yang fiddled with her hair, "So?"

"You ate all the chocolate chips before the dough was even done," Ruby continued, "I could go on, but you get the point."

Yang sank into her chair in a little ball of depression and sadness.

 **She started to eat her meal on auto pilot until she saw someone place a plate in front of her. She looked at it and her eyes went wide. It was a plate of cookies. She looked up to see Jaune smiling at her and he told her that he grabbed them, just in case they ran out before she got there. Next thing she knew, she had jumped over the table and gave him the tightest hug she could as the two tumbled to the ground. The whole time, she was thanking him profusely. That lasted until Yang teasingly mentioned how she shouldn't break her boyfriend. Which made the two of them blush profusely and break apart. She helped Jaune up and thank him again before she sat back down. She took a bite from one of her cookies and she noticed that it tasted better somehow.**

"I remember that day," Ruby thought back, "Why did they taste so good?"

"He made not have made them," Summer explained, "But he had you in mind when he got them. When it's for someone special to you it always tastes better."

Ruby snuggled in her mother's hood.

 **Later that night, she kept thinking about how right and nice it felt to hug and be hugged by Jaune. It was weird since they had done so many times before. So, why was that one different? She kept thinking about it over the next few days and came to the only option that made sense: she had a crush on Jaune.**

 **That made things complicated. With Pyrrha having feelings for him, him trying to ask Weiss out all the time and Yang being as protective as she was, that meant a lot could go wrong. But trying to ignore her feelings for her best friend was painful and it started to hurt more with every passing day. So, she decided to wait until she could find the best chance to ask him out. This bet was the best chance she could have. She could ask out Jaune and see if there was anything besides just friendship there. Plus, Yang wouldn't try to murder him because the bet was her idea.**

"You were dealt a really shitty hand weren't you Pipsqueak?" Qrow chuckled.

Summer appeared behind Qrow and cracked his skull with one punch and sent him through the chair, "Language Qrow."

"Right," Qrow spoke from the floor, "Sorry Shortstack."

 **"Now if only I could find him." The reaper said to herself. She was walking past the training rooms and could hear students fighting training drones in them. She would look in to see who it was. She saw Sun and a few students she had seen around but didn't know their names. She stopped at the last door when she noticed a familiar mop of blonde hair. She looked in to see Jaune was fighting a few drones with Crocea Mors.**

 **She stood outside and watched him fight. She didn't want to walk in and distract him. As she was watching him, she noticed how much he had improved since the beginning of the year. He was switching between offence and defense very well. He'd also fall back if the situation would get overwhelming. She smiled at that. 'He's getting better. Soon he'll be a knight in shining armor.' She thought to herself before images of Jaune dressed in armor and saving her came into her head, which she blushed bright red at.**

"You're welcome," Pyrrha hissed. Nora gave her a flick to the forehead. Pyrrha swatted her hand away and continued to sulk. Nora sighed and snuggled up to Ren.

 **She came back to reality to see him shield bash one drone back as he spun and decapitated a second. Jaune turned to the last one but this one had slightly heavier armor. He collapsed his shield and hooked it to his belt before he charged it. He gave a battle cry as he swung his blade two-handedly. It tried to defend itself by crossing its arms, but he managed to cut through the one arm before his blade sank halfway through its chest. The drone fell backwards as Jaune pulled his sword free. He smiled at his accomplishment. Before he was tackled to the ground by the drone that was shield bashed earlier. That dropped his aura low enough for the training room to shut down. Jaune shoved the drone off him and sighed in annoyance. He sheathed Crocea Mors and started to leave the room.**

"He needs more training," Pyrrha watched his movements. He should've known not to let your guard down until he knows the enemy is defeated.

 **As it opened, Ruby greeted him. "Hey, Jaune!" she said happily.**

 **Jaune jumped back in shock before he calmed down as he realized it was the red reaper. "Hey, Ruby. What brings you here?" he asked.**

 **"Nothing much. Was looking around and saw that you were fighting. I decided to watch." She said with a smile.**

 **"Sorry for the lackluster performance. Do you want a refund?" he asked with a smirk.**

 **Ruby chuckled, "No. Besides, it was pretty cool."**

 **"You're just saying that." He said embarrassedly as he scratched the back of his head.**

 **Ruby shook her head, "No, I'm not. You've improved so much since the beginning of the year. You're like a completely different fighter now."**

 **"Well, I can thank Pyrrha for that." He said with a smile before he placed his hand on top of her head and gently started to pet her. "Thanks for the support, Ruby."**

"She's not a dog," Taiyang growled.

Summer on the other hand simply reached behind his ears and scratched. Taiyang became puddy in her hands, she shook her head, still same old Tai.

 **Ruby just hummed in content and leant into it more. She usually hated when people did this. It felt like they were treating her like a little kid. But, she was fine with Jaune doing it. He was just being affectionate, and she knew he respected her as much, if not more, than she respected him. Another thing she liked about him. Honestly, there was one thing she liked more than this. She blushed slightly when she thought of it. "You okay, Ruby?"**

 **She opened her eyes and looked up at Jaune, who still had his hand on her head. "Yeah, um, can I have a hug?" she asked sheepishly.**

 **"Um, I don't know about that." He said as he scratched his cheek with his other hand. "I'm a bit sweaty from the fight. So, it might make you uncomfor-" He was stopped when Ruby hugged him tightly and rested her cheek on his chest plate. She sighed happily. Jaune just had a small smile and returned her hug.**

"Why are you smiling?" Roman asked, "I mean, against his chest I could understand but you're literally hugging metal right now."

Ruby was puzzled for a moment, "I don't know. He always wears that armor, it's like a second skin. I mean maybe I feel his heartbeat through it? Ever think of that? Huh?"

Roman raised his hands in defense and shut up.

"Didn't think so."

 **The two broke away and they started to walk together. They left the training rooms and were walking around Beacon's grounds. They started to just talk about random subjects and eventually went onto the subject of weapons. Jaune had just started to explain an idea he had for his weapon. "See, the extra weight added to my sword from the shield would help me get through tougher defenses and hit harder."**

 **Ruby nodded as she scratched her chin, "You'd have to sharpen the edges though and the shield would have to shift to be more blade-like. But, yeah, it could work." She said happily. "Although, you still need something for some range, Jaune."**

 **He just gave her a look, "Ruby, I'm surprised I haven't hurt myself with a sword. And you want to give me a gun?"**

"Not everything has to be a gun Miss. Rose," Ozpin spoke up.

"Be a lot cooler if it was a gun though," Ruby giggled.

Ozpin opened his mouth to speak but Qrow just shook his head. They knew that was an argument that nobody was going to win.

 **The two laughed at that. They fell into a comfortable silence. They walked for a bit more before Ruby took a deep breath. 'Now or never.' She turned back to Jaune. "Can I ask you something, Jaune? Something important."**

"Why do people ask to ask a question?" Raven had a minifreakout, "Just ask the damn question!"

"Damn Raven calm down," Qrow gave her his flask.

"Sorry," Raven drank, "It's just one of those things that always bothered me."

 **Jaune just looked at her as they stopped walking. "Always, Ruby."**

 **She looked down and started to shuffle her one foot across the ground before she looked up at him with hope in her eyes. "Would you like to go out with me?"**

 **Jaune's eyes widened slightly and some emotion flashed across them. She couldn't tell what it was because he closed them. He took a deep breath before he opened them again, but they looked a little emptier than before. "I'm sorry, Ruby, but I can't." Ruby felt like the world broke around her. "I-I need to go. I'll see you later." With that he turned away and walked off.**

 **Ruby just watched him before her head dropped. She sniffed slightly as her eyes misted over. "Why?" she asked shakily. She started to walk back to her dorm dejectedly right after that.**

"Ok," Yang thrashed against her teammates, "I'm gonna kill Jaune!"

"Yang no!" Blake struggled to hold her down.

"Nobody makes my little sister cry!" Yang's hair was set ablaze, "Nobody!"

 **Blake was making her way to the library. She had just passed a very sad looking Ruby on her way and she told her that Jaune had told her no. Blake offered her team leader her condolences, but Ruby said that she was alright. She just wanted to be alone for a while. She told the Faunus that she would tell Yang and Weiss over a message that she lost the bet before she said goodbye to her.**

 **Blake was still thinking about that now. Out of everyone on her team, Ruby was the one she thought Jaune would say yes to, not counting Weiss, of course. 'Maybe he doesn't want to date anyone besides Weiss right now?' she thought to herself. But then she remembered that over the last week or two, Jaune had stopped asking Weiss out. 'Maybe he just isn't looking to date anyone right now. I mean, being rejected so much might've made him need a bit of time before he can put himself out there again.' She left her thoughts there. Everyone was entitled to have a few details of their life they didn't want to talk about. Her ears twitched under her bow with that thought.**

"You know," Adam tilted his head, "If anyone was really observant, that bow is kind of a bad disguise."

"You're in a school for hunters," Ilia added, "Perception is kind of a prerequisite isn't it?"

"Fooled almost everybody already," Blake shrugged, "If it ain't broke don't fix it."

 **Most people would look at Jaune and Blake and believe they had little in common. And they would be right. Blake and Jaune were opposites. Blake was mysterious and graceful while Jaune was clumsy and blatant. But both had aspects the other admired. Jaune liked how intelligent and strong-willed Blake was. While Blake liked how open Jaune was with his emotions.**

 **They became good friends when Jaune walked into the library to read a novel that one of his sisters had sent him, apparently it was because they ruined his old copy. He asked to sit next to her and she nodded. After a while of both sitting in silence, her eyes flicked over to see what book he was reading. As much as she hated the stereotype, she was curious. She was surprised to see that it was a book she had read before. She made a comment and Jaune mentioned that it was one of his favorites. They started to discuss it in detail and had lost track of time. They were shocked when the librarian had come over to tell him that it was time to lock up.**

 **After that, the two would meet up on occasions to discuss other books and read. They would also suggest books to the other. Jaune even managed to wear her down enough to get her to read a comic. And she had to admit, they weren't the same as actual books, but they were good. She started to read them on occasions to break up the monotony of her usual readings.**

"Blake reading a comic?" Kali stared at her with wide eyes, "Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?"

"Mom," Blake rubbed her eyes.

"It's a legit question," Ilia leaned forward, "What happened to comics not being real literature?"

"Can we please get back to the movie?" Blake felt a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

 **After her secret of being a Faunus was out, she was afraid that Jaune would be angry with her. Not with her race, she knew he didn't care about that. But the fact that she had lied to him for so long. She was stunned when he just told her he was surprised but it didn't really matter. With Cardin and other racist bigots around, he could understand why she would hide like that. She just gave him a grateful smile as he chuckled sheepishly.**

Adam's fists tightened around his armrests, "We shouldn't have to hide who we are."

"Not to mention those who can't hide it," Velvet rubbed her ears, and turned a glare to Blake, "I've seen you do nothing while Cardin has his way with me."

Blake felt an insurmountable amount of shame. When all Faunus eyes were on her. Except Ilia, since she couldn't say anything when she had done the very same thing in Atlas.

 **Since then, she had been thankful to have a friend like Jaune. Once or twice, she asked herself if she had feelings for the blonde knight and she never had an answer. Especially, after how terribly her last relationship went, she wasn't looking to put herself out there again so soon. But, she had already agreed to this bet, so she had to at least try. 'Maybe I could tell Jaune it would be a friend date? Would still count and it wouldn't lead to anything. Or maybe I won't see him, and the bet will just end in a draw.'**

"Trying to weasel your way out of it?" Cinder joked.

"That some sort of joke?" Blake glared turning the faunus on Cinder.

Cinder chuckled, "Well played."

 **She eventually made her way to her usual table and was shocked to find Jaune already sitting there. He looked up and gave her a smile, "Hey, Blake. Fancy meeting you here."**

 **She gave him her own smaller smile, "Yeah. Not like I'm here all the time."**

 **He chuckled as she took the seat next to him. "So, what are you reading today? Ninjas of Love?"**

 **Blake had a small blush as she glared at him. "I hate that you know what that series is about."**

 **Jaune shrugged, "I was just asking." He turned back to his book, "Not going to judge you and your risqué readings." He said with a smirk.**

"That's one word for it," Ilia chuckled.

"What would you call it?" Blake turned to her.

"Porn," RWBY and NPR answered.

"Exactly," Ilia gestured to them.

"It's not porn!" Blake defended, "It's-"

"Erotic Fiction," they finished for her.

"Am I really that predictable?' she asked.

"Yes."

 **Blake shoved him slightly as she shook her head at him. "And what exactly are** _ **you**_ **reading?" she challenged.**

 **He looked up at her, "The Tale of Star-Crossed Lovers."**

 **She gave him a deadpanned expression, "And you question my reading?"**

 **Jaune laughed at that, "Guess you're not a fan."**

 **She shook he head, "The romance made no sense at all. And the two families warring with each other was never fully explained. Can't believe you actually like it." Even saying the word 'like' with that book made her want to vomit.**

 **Jaune just gave her a smirk, that said he knew something she didn't. "That would make sense. You've never read the** _ **real**_ **version of the story, after all."**

 **Now that confused her, "Real version?"**

 **Jaune nodded, "Yup. The book was published in Mistral and it depicted an idea that the government didn't agree with. So, they confiscated most of the copies and destroyed them. But by that point, the people had already heard of the book and they were angry that they tried to censor someone's work like that. They quickly started to print the book again to please the people, but it was an edited version of the story. Most people didn't know this and those that did were never believed. So, most people don't have any idea that the story they know is actually a lie."**

 **Blake just looked at him, she was now intrigued. "So, what didn't they like about the story?"**

 **Jaune smiled, "The two lovers." He answered simply, and Blake just raised an eyebrow. "The man was human while the woman was a Faunus."**

"You have my attention," Adam focused on the screen.

"Same," the rest of the faunus did the same.

 **Blake's eyes widened to comical proportions. And so many things that made no sense in the story were a bit clearer now. "That changes a lot." She said, still stunned.**

 **Jaune smiled and nodded, "Usually does." He looked back down to the book. "This isn't an original copy because those are rare and worth a fortune. This is a reprint my parents got me for my fifteenth birthday and it did cost a good amount of Lien. I read it when I'm too emotional for my own good, helps me separate myself for a while." He looked back to Blake to see her looking at the book with a glimmer in her eyes. Like it held the secrets to the universe. Jaune just smiled and held it out to her. "Wanna borrow it?"**

"Yes!" the faunus answered, and like magic a copy fell into their laps. They began reading immediately, expect for Blake, she'll have to wait until the movie was over.

 **She looked into Jaune's eyes with a look of pure shock. "You're serious? You're really going to trust me with something like this?"**

 **Jaune just chuckled, "Blake, if anyone knows how to take care of a book, it's you."**

"He's right you know," Yang nudged, "You're really paranoid when it comes to your books."

"As paranoid as Yang is about her hair," Weiss nodded.

 **Blake felt her heart skip a beat and looked back at the book before she gently took it from him. She pressed it to her chest protectively, "Thank you, Jaune." She said sincerely.**

 **"No problem, Blake. We can discuss it after you're done with it." He smiled at her.**

 **She felt some heat rise to her cheeks. "So, how do you feel about a human and Faunus being together?" she asked. She was shocked because she had no idea on where that question had come from.**

Once again the faunus in the room were especially interested in what he was about to say. They closed the book on their fingers and time seemed to freeze.

 **Jaune just shrugged slightly, "Nothing really. I mean, if the two people are happy and in love, why should it matter?"**

"I wish more humans were as accepting as him," Kali smiled at his answer.

"It's not just humans," Adam sighed.

"Oh?" Kali tilted her head.

"Its taboo on both sides," Adam explained, "Not just humans."

"As unfortunate as it is," Ghira sighed, "Adam's right."

 **That made Blake happy to hear. Her fingers gently started to trace small circles over the cover of the book as she slowly asked her next question. "If that's the case, would you like to go out sometime? With me?" she then looked back at him, hopefully.**

 **Jaune had a shocked expression on his face. He shook his head and looked back into her eyes for a second before he turned away slightly. "I'm sorry, Blake, but I can't." She felt her ears pin against her head with that. He slowly stood from his chair. "I need to go. Enjoy the book." He then left the library.**

 **Blake sat there for a while, just replaying his words in her head, "Well, this sucks." She said hollowly.**

"Couldn't have said it better," Yang sighed.

"I wonder what his deal is," Summer tilted her head, "If he's fine with human and faunus, how come he didn't say yes?"

"Because he knows about the bet!" Cinder slammed her head into the chair in front of her.

 **Weiss was truly shocked right now. She just got a message from Blake saying she lost the bet. Jaune Arc had turned down Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna. She had expected him to say yes to at least one of them. But he didn't and now it was her turn. She breathed deeply before she left her dorm room.**

"It's up to you Weiss!" Yang dramatically declared, "Bring home a victory!"

"Goddam it Yang," Weiss sighed.

 **She really didn't want to ask that dunce out. She knew that he'd agree instantly, considering how often he had asked her out. Then she'd either have to sit through some miserable date. Plus, he'd probably be more annoying afterwards, asking for more dates. Or she could take Yang's advice and just give him some excuse to not go out with him. But that would be unbecoming of a woman of her stature. Why did she even agree to this? Anyone else would've been more ideal than Arc.**

Pyrrha's fist made contact with Weiss' face, or at least that's what replayed in her mind. If this bet wasn't bad enough, her usual stuck up bithcy attitude was NOT helping.

"Maybe you're not the best for this," Yang was regretting her words.

 **She then remembered what happened at the dance. She was depressed that Neptune had turned her down and she was siting off by herself as her team was having a good time. That's when Neptune walked up to her and asked to sit next to her. She was about to tell him off but decided against that. She agreed, and he sat down. They sat in a silence for a while before he apologized to her and told her he was embarrassed because he couldn't dance. She was shocked by that but accepted his apology.**

 **That's when Arc walked up to Pyrrha in a dress. That was hilarious to see. That was until he started to dance with his entire team and that got the dance going. She then asked Neptune what changed his mind. He told her she was looking at him and that she had some good friends looking out for her. That was something she wasn't expecting.**

 **If Arc was really after her for her money, like she thought, then why did he go through the trouble to get Neptune to talk to her? Was it because she was hurt? Then why didn't he take advantage of her being on the rebound? She asked herself those question a lot that night. The only answer that made sense was that he legitimately cared about her and wanted to date her simply because of that. Not because she was Weiss Schnee, the Heiress to the SDC. But, Weiss Schnee, the student of Beacon. And even after how badly she always treated him, he still went out of his way to help her.**

 **That made her feel horrible. It still made her feel horrible but she tried to bury it and focus on her budding relationship with Neptune. That was until she saw him flirt with another girl. That hurt a lot more than being shot down. She locked herself in the bathroom and cried about that for a while and she realized that this was probably similar to what Arc had felt every time she turned him down.**

"I never knew about that," Ruby reached out to Weiss.

"There's nothing to know," Weiss quickly dismissed, "I knew who Neptune was, and I foolishly thought he could change when we started dating."

"Weiss," Neptune began but Sun pulled him back. He may not have been AS dense as Jaune, but Sun knew there was a time to shut up.

 **'Must be karma.' She thought to herself. She realized she was still in front of her dorm and sighed to herself. 'He deserves an apology, at the very least.' She was about to leave and look for him, when she heard something. It was very quiet, and she strained her ears to hear it, but she recognized it. Someone was playing a guitar. Her curiosity got the better of her and she started to follow the sound to its source. She eventually arrived at the door that would lead to the roof of the dorms and she could hear the person playing behind it.**

 **She slowly turned the knob and opened the door enough to see who it was. She was shocked to see Jaune sitting on the edge of the roof and looking over the horizon. He had his guitar, the one he used to serenade her, and was playing it. Although, it was much better than the song he played for her. She was about to walk out to him but stopped when he heard him start to sing. She recognized the song as Simple and Clean.**

"I love this song," Ruby smiled, "It reminds me when I was younger and mom was still alive and it always makes me cry to hear this song. It just takes me back to a time when everything was Simple and Clean."

"Maybe that's why it's called that?" Blake joked but saw Ruby holding onto her mother with tears in her eyes.

 **Jaune stopped playing completely when the song ended and sat there in silence. Weiss was speechless. She never expected Arc to be able to sing or play like that, especially after his serenade a few weeks back. She opened the door and started making her way over to him. He heard her heels and turned. He was shocked to see her, "Weiss? I didn't know you were there." He said nervously.**

 **She nodded her head slightly, "I apologize. I heard someone playing and was curious." Jaune blushed and looked away in embarrassment. She stopped beside him. "You play well. Your singing isn't that bad either."**

 **Jaune looked at her in shock before he gave her a small smile, "Thanks, Weiss."**

"Is it really the singing or the song?" Cinder asked.

"Yes," Weiss answered.

Cinder squinted her eyes before returning to the screen.

 **"I actually didn't think you could play. But then again, I've only heard you play once." She gave him a smirk.**

 **Jaune laughed at that, "Yeah, that wasn't my best performance. I was so nervous." He looked at her, "You can sit if you like."**

"He was nervous?" Weiss shuddered.

"I'm just glad he never did that again," Yang shook her head.

"I remember walking out of the dorm and see him walking toward ours with the guitar," Blake chuckled.

"And you couldn't warn us?" Weiss glared.

"I was sleep deprived," Blake smirked, "I thought I was hallucinating."

"Oh bullshit," Weiss snapped.

"Language!" Summer and Winter conked Weiss in the back of the head.

 **Weiss took him up on that offer and sat down beside him. They sat in a comfortable silence as they looked at the view. "Mind if I ask, why you're up here?" she asked.**

 **Jaune shrugged, "After Pyrrha showed me up here, I started to come up here to just get away from it all." He sighed, "Today, hasn't been too good. I decided to come up here and play to try to make myself feel better. Didn't go so well."**

 **"I'm sorry to hear that." Weiss answered. After a bit she spoke again, "Thank you."**

 **He looked at her confused, "For what?"**

 **"Neptune told me you convinced him to talk to me at the dance." She explained.**

 **Jaune's eyes widened a bit before they went back to normal. "It was no big deal. I just didn't like that you were so sad."**

 **"Why didn't you comfort me then?" she asked. She thought she knew his answer, but she wanted, no needed to know the truth.**

 **Jaune just gave her a sad smile, "Because you didn't want it to be me. You wanted it to be Neptune. He makes you happy so…." He just let his sentence drift off there.**

 _Maybe he isn't as dense as I thought,_ Weiss thought to herself, _Always putting someone else before you…_

 **Weiss just looked at him for a bit, "Well, things really didn't work out that well between us." She looked down slightly.**

 **"I'm sorry." He said sincerely.**

 **She shook her head, "It's not your fault but thank you for the sentiment." She looked over the horizon but looked at him with the corner of her eye. "This might be how you felt when I shot you down."**

"Karma's a bitch ain't it Ice-Queen?" Qrow smugly drank from his flask. Winter used her summoning semblance to have a Beowulf backhand Qrow.

 **"Maybe." Jaune said simply, not exactly sure on what to say. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about asking you out so much. I went over the top, a lot."**

 **Weiss wasn't expecting that but shook her head slightly, "Don't worry about it. I could've been a bit nicer with letting you down."**

"Yeah you could've," Yang mumbled to herself. Weiss shrank in her seat a little, looking back at it all, she really could've been a lot nicer.

"I was afraid you were going to be so much worse," Ruby stated recalling when she first met Weiss.

 **"Honestly, I can't blame you for being annoyed or just pissed. If someone asked me out repeatedly and didn't get the hint, I would've lost my patience too." He shrugged and gave a small smile, "But, that's in the past. Can't do anything about it now. We just have to look to the future."**

"That's surprisingly adult of him," Ghira nodded.

"Pain makes us grow up," Ilia sighed, "Whether we like it or not."

 **There was a long silence before Weiss turned to him. "Arc…. Jaune." He turned to her. "Would you… go out with me?"**

 **Jaune's eyes widened before they narrowed slightly. He sighed and looked over the horizon again. "Sorry, Weiss, but no. I can't." He stood up without looking at her. "I should probably go." He went back into the dorms with that.**

 **Weiss watched him go. She was beyond shocked with that. She turned to look over the edge again before she released a shaky breath, "Shouldn't really be surprised by that." She said weakly.**

"Did you seriously expect anything different?" Cinder rested her head against her hand.

"You should've seen the way he chased after her," Nora recalled the failed attempts he had with the Ice-Queen.

"I'm legitimately surprised," Blake spoke up, "I mean he's been going after her since day one…"

 **Weiss opened the door to her dorm to see her teammates all on their beds in just as bad moods as she was in. Weiss walked in and flopped down on her bunk to bury her face into her pillow. She stayed like that for a while. Yang turned to her as she sat cross-legged on her bed, "I'm guessing it didn't go well."**

 **Weiss just shook her head and turned to face her team but stayed laying on her bed, "He told me no."**

 **Blake was sitting with her back leaning against her headboard, "Well, if he didn't say yes to you, I don't know what's happening." Blake said tiredly.**

 **Ruby looked at her teammates as she sat up on her bed, "Do you think something is wrong with Jaune?"**

 **"No idea. But why else would he say no to four ladies that asked him out? In one day, I'll add." Yang asked no one in particular.**

 **"Think him and Pyrrha got together?" The three other girls turned back to Ruby. "They seemed really close after the dance."**

 **"I doubt it." Weiss answered. "If Pyrrha and Jaune got together, she would've said something, or we would've seen the signs." She sighed, "Besides, he would've told us he was dating someone when we asked him out. Not just say, he can't."**

"Not to mention she'd be screaming her lungs out on the roof," Nora mumbled, "Ow!" Nora winced seeing Pyrrha dig her nails into her thigh.

"Shut up Nora," Pyrrha hissed through clenched teeth. Nora repeatedly mouthed 'Ok' as Pyrrha's grip loosened.

Nora smirked, "I didn't say what kind of screaming."

Pyrrha tried to grab Nora again, but Nora swapped places with Ren and used him as a shield. Pyrrha blushed and crossed her arms.

 **Blake's ear perked up under her bow, "Wait. He told you, he can't?" Weiss nodded glumly. "He said the exact same thing to me."**

 **All the girls' eyes widened at that, "Same here." Ruby added.**

 **"Ditto." Yang said right after.**

 **"Why would Jaune say the exact same thing to all of us?" Weiss asked as she sat up on her bed.**

 **They were about to think about it when they heard a familiar voice, "Maybe because it's my default response when I don't want to do something." They all went rigid and turned to see Jaune leaning against the doorframe. Weiss had left the door open when she walked in. "You know, you girls really should close the door when you're talking about someone."**

 **They all looked away sheepishly. "Sorry, Jaune." Ruby spoke up and turned to him. "We were just curious why you said no to all of us." The other three nodded with that.**

 **Jaune looked at them all and sighed, "Fine, I'll tell you. But it's a long story." He got off the doorframe and walked into the room. He stood in the center with his hands in his pockets. "Back home, I really didn't have the best luck with women, but you probably guessed that. Back then, I was the nice guy that everyone knew. I had quite a few dates, but they weren't real in anyway. They were either pity dates from girls who felt bad for me, things arranged by my sisters that the girls in question didn't want to be on or even just to act as a 'pallet cleanser' for girls who got out of bad break-ups."**

"The hell's a pallet cleanser?" Mercury asked.

"They're a person you have sex with in between serious relationships," Glynda spoke up, "To help you get over the one and help you get ready for a new one. It's only sex, never serious."

EVERYONE turned to Glynda with wide eyes. Team RWBY was surprised to say the least, mainly because they never imagined Glynda friggin Goodwitch to actually know what a pallet cleanser was. NPR was a little more upset knowing that their leader was treated in such a way. The faculty just saw a side of Glynda that they'd never seen before.

"WHAT?!" Glynda blushed, "Shut up and watch the movie!"

 **Jaune took a second before he continued. "I was fine with that. I never really thought I was good enough for any of them and I was lucky to have the experience." He shrugged helplessly. "That was until the most popular girl back home asked me out. I agreed and was so excited for it. I planned it out perfectly and she told me she'd meet me at the restaurant." He looked out their window, "I must've waited for her for two hours, but she never showed." That made the girls angry to say the least. Blake nearly growled like a cat, Yang's eyes turned red, Ruby was reaching for Crescent Rose on reflex and Weiss' aura was acting up slightly, making the temperature drop a bit.**

 **"I saw her the next day and asked her why she never showed. She laughed in my face and told me she only did it because her friends bet her she wouldn't." The girls all froze with that and felt their chests tighten. "Yeah, that sucked. It hurt so much and that made me realize that if I wanted to find love, I had to be more assertive." He chuckled weakly, "But, we all know how well that went with Weiss." Weiss looked down sadly and the others just looked at Jaune as he continued. "After that failed, I decided to just give love a break for a while. Focus on other things for now. But, I decided that if anyone asked me, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I'd get lucky and find love that way."**

"Huh," Mercury leaned back in his chair.

"What?" Yang growled, "You got some smart ass thing to say now?"

"Nothing," Mercury shrugged, "Normally, or in my experience at least, going through something like that ususally messes somebody up for life. Never fully trusting women again, always keeping them at arm's length. It's interesting to see him bounce back.

 **"So, why did you turn us all down?" Weiss asked weakly as she looked up to him.**

 **"Don't get me wrong. You're all out of my league. You know it, I know it. Hell, the entire school knows it. I'd be lucky to date any of you. And I would've said yes, to see if there was anything beyond friendship." He was quiet for a second. "That was, if you were serious." They were all stunned and were about to defend themselves, but his next words stopped them. "I overheard your bet this morning."**

"BOOM!" Cinder cheered, "CALLED IT!"

"Is now really the time to gloat?" Yang pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Duh," Cinder laughed, "I was right, perfect time to gloat."

 **There was an extended silence with that. The girls had no idea on what to say. "Yeah, that** _ **really**_ **hurt. Felt like déjà vu and not in a good way." He looked at them all, "I mean, I thought we were friends. I didn't think you'd use me as way to 'win' anything." They all looked away in shame. "And even if you girls did go through with the date, it would've been out of pity and I had my fill of those a long time ago. So, yeah, that's the reason." No one said anything so Jaune made his way to the door and closed it behind him. When the door closed, it sounded so much louder than it actually was. Like five hearts were broken with that.**

Cinder felt like driving it home, only when she turned around she saw NPR turning more than a little hostile. If what was on screen didn't make RWBY feel bad enough, seeing the looks in NPR's eyes turn on them did.

 **The next day, Jaune kept his distance from RWBY. They didn't try to talk to him either out of respect or shame. His team did realize this, and they asked him about it. He just told him it was nothing serious and that he just needed some space from them for a while. They didn't push and hoped they'd work things out eventually. That carried on for several days and nothing changed. Honestly, Jaune didn't even look in the general direction of the girls. Just looking at them caused the pain to resurface. He didn't know when or if they would go back to the way things were. But right now, he didn't care.**

Ruby felt queasy, she looked like she was going to cry. Weiss and Yang shifted uncomfortably in her chair, they hadn't gone as far as Professor Goodwitch said, but they were guilty of pallet cleansing in the past. Blake felt her ears flatten against her bow, human and faunus relationships were always frowned upon by both sides, and she possibly just destroyed the only person to not care for anything and just love her.

 **At the end of the fifth day, JNPR was relaxing in their room. Ren was doing maintenance on StormFlower, Nora was listening to music while reading a comic, Pyrrha was reading a magazine and Jaune was laying on his bed. He was exhausted and needed some sleep. That was until someone knocked on their door. Jaune groaned in annoyance as Pyrrha went to the door. He could hear her talking to whoever it was and was trying to ignore it, until she raised her voice slightly, "Jaune, it's for you."**

 **Jaune just groaned, "If it's anyone from RWBY, tell them I'm not here."**

 **Pyrrha was silent for a bit, "They can hear you, Jaune."**

 **"I know." He responded coldly.**

 **"Jaune, please, can we talk?" Ruby asked weakly.**

"I thought he was the dense one," Cinder commented, only to receive a blow to the head knocking her unconscious.

"Gods be praised," Yang shook her hand, "I've been wanting to do that forever."

"This time it was appropriate," Blake chuckled not holding her partner back.

 **Jaune stayed on his bed for thirty seconds or so before he sighed and sat up. He walked over to the door and Pyrrha went back to her bed. He walked into the hall and closed the door behind him. He looked to see that the four girls were having trouble looking at him. He didn't want to deal with this. "I'm here, so talk."**

 **The girls looked to Ruby. She looked up at him with a sad look in her eyes, like she would cry at any moment. "Jaune, we are so, so sorry for what we did."**

 **"What we did was terrible." Yang added, "You are our friend and we shouldn't have abused our friendship like that." She sounded so defeated, which was new for Yang.**

 **Blake nodded, "You have every right to be mad or even hate us right now. None of us would blame you for that." Jaune was sure if she didn't have her bow on, her ears would be pinned against her head if her tone was anything to go by.**

 **Weiss was looking down at her feet, "But, if you ever forgive us, we want you to know that something like that will never happen again. We swear."**

"They seem genuine," Glynda crossed her arms, "Of course this could all have been avoided if they hadn't had made that ridiculous bet."

"Sometimes the greatest lessons we learn are through pain," Ozpin sighed, "Their friendship is strained sure, but true friendships can work through it."

 **Jaune looked them all over. He knew they were telling the truth and he could tell just how badly they felt about what they did. Plus, he could never stand to see girls being sad. Damn his sisters. He sighed, "Fine, I'll forgive you." They all cheered up slightly. "But, if you do anything like this again, I** _ **will**_ **tell Nora." They all paled with that and nodded frantically. Jaune smirked slightly with that. "Well, if that's all, I'm exhausted." He turned back to his door.**

"Screw the next time," Nora tried to jump over her seat, but Ren and Pyrrha held her down. RWBY backed into their seats as much as the cushions allowed.

 **"Actually..." Jaune stopped and turned to Ruby. "There is one other thing we wanted to talk to you about." She blushed slightly.**

 **"Okay?" Jaune tuned back to them. "What is it?"**

 **Blake spoke up, "Well, we've been talking, and we figured out that when we asked you out, it was not just because of the bet." She flushed after saying that.**

 **Jaune raised an eyebrow and Yang answered his unspoken question, "We all like you, Jaune. As in like-like." She said with her own blush.**

"How does saying a word twice give it new meaning?" Mercury asked, "I mean, seriously."

"I dunno," Emerald shrugged, "Girl code?"

"You're a girl, explain it to me," Mercrury pressed.

"Normal Girl Code," Emerald clarified.

 **Jaune's eyes widened but he couldn't speak since Ruby started to speak next, "We all talked it over and we know we don't deserve it, but we'd like another chance." Ruby was red as her cloak at that point.**

 **Weiss cleared her throat and had a pink dusting on her cheeks as well. "So, if you think you can forgive us and see it in your heart to give us this chance, we'd like to ask you…" she trailed off and looked at her teammates. They all nodded and turned to him before saying in unison, "Would you go out with us?"**

"EH?!" Pyrrha shrieked. Ren and Nora were also taken back by this. RWBY was blushing profusely, that was bold even for them.

 **Jaune just stared at them as his mind tried to catch up. 'Did Team RWBY just ask me out?!' He shook his head and placed his hand over his forehead. "It's finally happened, Nora has driven me as mad as her." He looked at them, "You're all serious?" he asked still stunned.**

 **They all just nodded at him. "But, how? How could all of you feel like that towards** _ **this**_ **?" he motioned to himself in a negative way when saying that.**

"Four girls ask you out simultaneously and you're questioning it?" Qrow gaped.

"Some of us want to know the reasons behind it," Pyrrha answered hoping he would say no.

 **Ruby started to play with the hem of her skirt, "I've liked you for a while now. It started to form as we hung out and eventually I figured out that I liked you. I didn't say anything because I was afraid it would ruin our friendship if it didn't work out. But it hurts to hide it so, I'm taking a chance." she finished determinedly.**

 **Yang put her hand on Ruby's shoulder, "You've had my sister's back since day one, Jaune. Having someone that I know will look out for her means more to me than anything else. I guess that is the secret to winning my heart." She said with a smile. "So, I don't see why I shouldn't give this a shot. Plus, you're hot as hell underneath that hoodie." She gave him a wink after that. That caused them all to blush.**

 **"You've always been a great friend to me." Blake started to speak next. She had a nervous gleam in her eyes. "You've been my confidant and shoulder to lean on for so long. And you accepted me, for who I am and the mistakes I made. You've made me feel...safe. Like I can really be myself with you and not worry about you hating me. On top of that you trust me with so much; why else would you loan me something that means so much to you? So, I want to see if there could be something here. It doesn't matter that your human and I'm a Faunus, I want to try."**

 **Weiss had her head down and her hands behind her back. She was just radiating nervousness. "Jaune...I finally realized that you liked me for who I am. Not my status or money, but just because I was me. No one has ever shown interest in me like that, so pure and genuine. Now, that I know this, it's become obvious that I have some feelings for you, as well. I regret being so cold and harsh to you. So, I want to make it up to you and see if...maybe we could be together." She looked into his eyes, "If you think I'm worth it, that is."**

 **He looked up at the ceiling to try and get his thoughts in order. He didn't know these four girls had such genuine feelings for him. He didn't know what to do in a situation like this. He didn't want to shun them, to hurt them in a way like that. He looked at them, once he had an idea on what to do. "Alright, how about this? I'll go on a date with each of you and afterwards we can see where we go from there. But no matter what, we will still be friends if things don't work out. I don't wanna lose you girls over this. So what do you say? Deal?"**

 **Ruby squealed and hugged him tightly. He was stunned and slowly hugged her back, he missed this. He was shocked to see Yang hug him from his left and Blake do the same on his right a few seconds later. He saw Weiss was looking at him hesitantly. He just smiled, "Come on, Snow Angel." She smiled and hugged him as well, right between Ruby and Blake.**

"S-Shut up!" Weiss blushed yelling at the screen.

 **They all broke apart and said their 'good nights' before they went back into their dorms. Jaune closed his door behind him before he leant his back against it and sighed. "How did it go?" Pyrrha asked him.**

 **Jaune just shook his head with a small smile, "Well, we made up." Pyrrha smiled when he said that. He then gave another sigh, "And somehow, I have a date with all of RWBY." Jaune heard something hit the ground. He looked to see that Pyrrha had fainted.**

"Pyrrha?" Nora heard a loud thud next to her, "Pyrrha!"

"Think this'll work with the real Jaune?" Yang asked her team.

"Yang no," Blake blushed.

"Oh?" Yang turned to her partner, "You want him all for yourself?"

"Goddamn it Yang," Weiss and Ruby blushed.

…

" **You don't understand the way Winter lived her life at all!" Jaune yelled.**

" **Winter is now in my past," Weiss stared at Jaune with one purple eye with a black ripple pattern and three tome on each of its two innermost circles. The other was silver with only three tome in her iris, "I will cut off everything in my past right here…starting with cutting you down. Yours will be the last blood I shed in the memory of my late older sister."**

 **Next time of The Infinite Realities of Jaune Arc: "The Final Battle."**

"The hell kind of trailer was that?!" Weiss yelled at the screen.

"You were kinda murder happy weren't you Weiss?" Yang scooched away from her a bit.

"Oh hush you!" Weiss rolled her eyes.

"You had two different eyes," Ruby remarked, "And one of them was like mine! We really are besties!" Ruby hugged Weiss.

"UNHAND ME YOU DOLT!" Weiss fought against her partner's grip.

"So we're just ignoring the fact that I'm dead?" Winter shrugged.

"Looks like it Ice Queen," Qrow mocked.

…

 **Sweeeeeeeet. Now it's just the interlude before DeadJaune. I know, I'm such a tease aren't I?**

 **Don't forget to visit the Genital WarThunder P/a/treon!**

 **I'll see y'all next time!**


	18. (I-IV) Chunky

**Jaune sat in a booth in Junior's Club bored. He was having a good a time as any, but he'd seen it all before. He watched the door waiting – hoping – someone new would walk in.**

"I've been there," Yang chuckled.

"Where?" Weiss asked.

"He's used to everything," Yang explained, "He wants someone new to walk in."

 **The Malachite Twins found their way into Jaune's booth.**

" **Ladies," he smiled.**

" **Anything on the Knight's Radar tonight?" Melanie asked scooching closer.**

" **So far no," Jaune leaned back in his booth, "Why? Something on your mind?"**

 **Miltiades chuckled mirroring her sister's action, "You obviously. How about we take you to our private room again?"**

" **Not tonight ladies," Jaune shook his head, "I'm waiting on someone special."**

 **That's when the club doors burst open, and two of the most jaw dropping women stepped in. One had a ludicrous amount of blonde hair, the other didn't have as much, but her black bow only added to her ebony locks.**

"I wonder who he's gonna pick?" Ruby leaned forward.

"If it's anything like the last one we saw it'll be both," Weiss leaned back.

" **Who are they?" Jaune lowered his sunglasses to get a better view as they walked to the bar.**

" **The blonde one is the one who tore up the club a few weeks ago," Melanie answered, "Or don't you remember?"**

" **Of course he doesn't," Miltiades answered before Jaune could, "He was busy giving the Ice-Cream Queen the ride of her life."**

" **More like she gave me the ride of mine," Jaune corrected.**

Everybody looked around trying to guess who the Ice-Cream Queen was. But Cinder, Mercury, Emerald, and Roman all turned toward Neo. She smirked and flicked her hair in a victorious fashion.

" **Tell the DJ to play number two," Jaune got out of the booth, "I know just what to sing."**

"Jaune's going to sing?" Weiss was taken back, "This is going to be good." Her tone obviously betrayed the words she spoke.

"He can dance, cook, who knows what other things his sisters made him do," Pyrrha shrugged. _I wish I was the one he was singing to…_

 **(Bruno Mars – Chunky)**

 **The electric opening turned everybody's attention to the stage where Jaune stepped out with a microphone in his hand. The ladies in the club were already screaming, except the two he wanted. This only made him smile and gave him the fire he needed. The drum beat started, Jaune bobbed his head with the beats and he pointed directly at them and brought the mic up to his lips.**

 _ **She got to shake her little something (shake her little something), ooh  
Throwing that thing from left, right, side-to-side  
She got to have her own money (she got her own money), oh yeah  
Shout out to the girls that pay they rent on time**_

"Well damn Vomit-Boy!" Yang was surprised at the lyrics, "Someone likes the Bellabooty." She leaned over to Blake and winked.

Sun crossed his arms and grumbled, "Stupid show off, I could sing if I wanted to."

"I like him," Kali snickered.

"MOM!" Blake hissed.

 **Jaune jumped off the stage and began walking to the bar. The blonde one had a smirk on her face as she leaned against the bar with both elbows on the table. The bow raised an eyebrow and watched Jaune walk around them, even if he had to jump on the bar.**

 _ **If you ain't here to party take your ass back home  
If you getting naughty, baby here's my phone**_

 **He handed them both a card with his name on it.** _ **  
Slide with your boy to the bar  
Slide with your boy to the car  
I've been searching everywhere and now here you are**_

 _ **Ooh, chunky  
Looking for them girls with the big old hoops  
That drop it down in daisy dukes (Both: I wanna get down)  
Yeah, them the ones I'm trying to recruit  
I'm looking at you  
Yeah, you, baby (baby, baby)**_

 _ **Now let me hear you say you ready,**_

 **Jaune cupped his hand over his ear when both of them said, "I'm ready."**

 _ **Girl, you better have you hair weave strapped on tight  
'Cause once we get going, we rolling, we'll cha-cha 'til the morning  
So just say alright (Both: Alright.)**_

 _ **If you ain't here to party take your ass back home  
If you getting naughty, baby here's my phone  
Slide with your boy to the bar  
Slide with your boy to the car  
I've been searching everywhere and now here you are**_

 _ **Ooh, chunky  
Looking for them girls with the big old hoops  
That drop it down in daisy dukes (I wanna get down)  
Yeah, them the ones I'm trying to recruit  
I'm looking at you  
Yeah, you, baby (baby, baby)**_

 _ **Ow, you got what I want (Blake: I got what you want)  
Girl, you got what I need (Yang: I got what you need)  
Thirty-seven, twenty-seven, forty-two, ooh  
Squeeze all of that into my coupe  
Girls, I, I choo-oose you**_

 _ **Chunky  
Looking for them girls with the big old hoops  
That drop it down in daisy dukes (Blake: I wanna get down)  
Yeah, them the ones I'm trying to recruit  
I'm looking at you  
Yeah, you, baby**_

 _ **Chunky  
Looking for them girls with the big old hoops  
That drop it down in daisy dukes (Yang: I wanna get down)  
Yeah, them the ones I'm trying to recruit  
Hey, I'm looking at you  
Yeah, you, baby (baby, baby)**_

 **With the song over Jaune threw the microphone behind him. He took both of their hands, spun them around and had both of their shoulders under his arm.**

" **Not bad Lady-Killer," the blonde one complimented.**

" **Not bad at all," Bow nodded and blushed slightly.**

" **Care to know our names?" blondie raised an eyebrow.**

" **My name is Jaune," he looked at both of them, "Just so you know whose name you'll be screaming later."**

 **The blonde burst into laughter.**

" **Blake," the bow answered, "I'll tell you this right now," she leaned into his ear, "You'll be the one screaming my name." she bit his ear and took the lead.**

" **I'm Yang," the blonde one finally got ahold of herself, "I don't know how much you'll be screaming with your mouth full though."**

The screen faded to black and everyone in the audience was a shade of red. Some due to embarrassment, others due to anger, and a few who were jealous.

"I wanna be him right now," Ilia's freckles turned pink.

"ILIA!" Blake turned around.

"I want to murder him right now," Ghira fumed.

"Can I help?" Sun asked.

"Lady Killer indeed," Neptune nodded with approval.

"Silence," Weiss slapped Neptune across the face.

"What did you mean by mouthful?" Ruby asked only her face turned red a second later and she began to cough violently.

"I kinda liked the song," Nora giggled thinking of the lyrics.

"Me too," Pyrrha nodded.

"You're ok with that?" Ren pointed at the screen.

"If Jaune really likes thick thighs," Pyrrha ran her hand up hers, "I've got something he likes."

Ren coughed and looked away.

"Atta girl," Nora poked her side.


	19. (XII) DeadJaune

**The screen flicked to life, revealing an overpass, where a man in a red suit was dangling his legs over the edge. He was drawing with crayons while music played off his Walkman next to him.**

" **Hey everyone!" he said to the audience.**

"Did," Roman tilted his head, "Did he just speak to us?"

"I highly doubt it," Glynda sighed.

" **Well Goodwitch you really know how to bring down the mood," He was really talking to them.**

"WHAT THE HELL?!" she gasped.

The other professors shook their heads in shock.

" **Geez, no need to yell, besides am I really the weirdest thing you've seen so far? Now, I know what your all thinking: "Who's balls did I have to fondle to get this sexy ass into this red suit?" Her name rhymes with: "Pelvet" and she's got a nice pair of smooth criminals down under." He said with an exaggerated accent.**

Velvet pulled her ears over her eyes while Coco was laughing her ass off.

"Wait a minute," Pyrrha whispered, "I know that voice, JAUNE?!"  
 **"Hi Pyrrha!" He waved, "You know, from this angle, I almost have the same view as I did during initiation. I can see right down that corset of yours."**

Pyrrha blushed and quickly covered her chest.

"Aww, best friends let best friends see each other naked all the time."

"Best friend, not lover?" Pyrrha was a little disappointed.

" **Yeah, even though Genital WarThunder is a HUGE Arkos fan, well more like straight Pyrrha fan, he knows that there are different ships that others like. Even though some don't make any sense at all. I've never even met Raven and somehow there's a ship for that?! Not to mention me and Glynda. Because the BDSM teacher is also a pedo. I can't tell which is more confusing, me and Ozpin or me and Ironwood."**

"What?' Qrow asked, "There's a universe where you and Jimmy are together? That's funny and horribly disgusting."

"I am curious about me though," Raven raised her hand.

"How many are there?' Ozpin questioned, "That are within the realms of reality…"

" **Too many to list," Jaune looked down to see a convoy of vehicles, "Maybe next time. Right now, I got a face to fix, my sexy kitty girlfriend to get back, and OHHHHHH bad guys to kill." He stood on the ledge, "Maximum effort!" He jumped off.**

"Now who could he be referring to as: "Sexy Kitty Girlfriend?" Yang smirked and leaned over to Blake.

Ghira was fuming doing his best not to attack the screen. Kali was amused at her daughter's nickname. Ilia was doing her best not to turn red and pink. While Adam was chuckling to himself.

 **Soft music was playing inside the SUV when Jaune crashed through the sunroof. The driver swerved and hit another car while Jaune began fighting everyone inside. An elbow to the guy on his right, punch to the face to the guy on his left, a kick to the face to the passenger.**

" **Cock shot!" he then punched the guy in the dick, used him to hit the driver, then threw him out the back.**

Ruby, Yang, Mercury, and Roman proceeded to burst into laughter. Wiess, Cinder, and Emerald looked scandalized. Glynda was twitching, while Qrow and Ozpin smiled at her. Nora of course was cheering Jaune on.

" **HA!" Jaune pointed at the guy hanging onto the bumper.**

 **The guy next to Jaune grabbed him and threw him into the headrest.**

" **Rich Mistalian Leather!" Jaune mumbled, "Very nice." He said as he wiggled out of his grip and wrapped his feet around his head, "I'm looking for Adam Taurus!" he twisted and snapped his neck.**

"Adam," Ilia leaned forward, "Did you kidnap the Sexy Kitty Girlfriend?"

"Ilia!" Blake rounded, "Stop saying that!"

Adam chuckled to himself.

" **Have you seen this man?" Jaune asked the men in the front seats as he showed them his crudely drawn picture. The passenger proceeded to slam his head into the radio.**

 _ **Red like roses…**_

 **Slam, "Ow."**

 _ **Now it's time to say goodbye…**_

 **Slam, "Ow."**

 _ **Baby, it's time to make up your mind…**_

 **Slam, "Ow."**

 _ **When I wanna say I love you, I say boop…**_

"Hey!" Nora pointed, "I like that song."

"I like the one before it," Pyrrha thought of the dance.

" **Yanky, yanky!" Jaune grabbed his gun and shot the driver. When he saw a man on a bike pull beside him and start shooting at the SUV. The passenger was dead, so Jaune kicked him out colliding with the man on the bike.** **Jaune noticed the man in back began to climb back in, he punched the driver's wound and slammed his hand on the gas. He pressed the cigarette lighter as the SUV collided with another in the convoy.** **Jaune had his foot pressing the driver to the window, while he had the other guy in a head lock. The lighter was done, and he pressed it to his forehead. As he opened his mouth to scream Jaune shoved it into his mouth.**

" **I've never said this before, but don't swallow."**

Ruby burst into laughter kicking her legs wildly.

"Ruby how do you know what that means?" Yang's eye flashed red.

"Come on Yang," Ruby rolled her eyes, "I'm fifteen, I know where babies come from and everything!"

Yang crossed her arms and began grumbling. Summer chuckled at her daughters. Taiyang didn't like it, but Ruby had to grow up sometime.

 **The SUV from before pulled alongside him. Jaune used his foot to steer into the other making the car roll. There was another motorcycle man in front of him and he grabbed his belt. As the car rolled, everything was lined up perfectly.**

" **Shit," Jaune poked his head out, "Did I leave the stove on?"**

 **The car resumed rolling. It was either all timed really well or Jaune had one hell of a lucky streak, but one man was crushed, motorcycle's head was cut off, another was thrown into a sign becoming red paste.**

"Well I always said he had a mind for tactics," Ozpin watched the carnage unfold.

"You weren't kidding," Ironwood shuddered.

"Mr. Arc seems too carefree," Glynda shook her head, "Especially since he's taking so many lives."

 **The SUV landed while all the civilians slammed on their brakes and bolted out of their cars. The rest of the escort pulled up to the one Jaune was in.**

 **The men slowly approached the car.**

 **Jaune pressed a button rolling down the window.**

" **Hey!" Jaune poked his head up only to be greeted by them shooting him,** **"WAIT!" Jaune shot his hands up, "You may be wondering why the red suit, well that's so bad guys can't see me bleed! This guy has the right idea!" he pointed to one of them, "He wore the brown pants!"**

 **He looked down at his brown pants, then shot at Jaune.**

" **Fine! I only have 12 bullets so you're going to have to share!" Jaune drew his guns then looked back at the audience, "Ruby, let's see if you can keep up little my adorable little weapon nut."**

"I can do that!" Ruby piped up and focused on the screen.

"It would genuinely surprise me if you couldn't," Taiyang ruffled Ruby's hair.

 **Jaune jumped out of the car with a spin, he fired one round with the casing imprinted: "12." While still in the air he fired another labeled: "11." He landed behind the car while the resumed shooting.**

 **Another motorcycle came around the car and shot Jaune, "Shit," Jaune wiggle his finger through the hole. "Motherfucker!" he looked at the shoot through the hole in his arm.**

" **10," he fired and missed, "Shit."**

" **9," he missed again, "Fuck."**

" **8," the motorcycle was coming around for a second time but Jaune missed again, "ShitFuck!" He jumped over the car and aimed, but he was too late, "Bad DeadJaune." He looked behind him and saw a man trying to sneak by him, "Seven," he shot him in the head, "Good DeadJaune."**

"His name is DeadJaune?" Blake tilted her head.

"That sounds off…" Yang scratched her head.

"It does, doesn't it?" Nora turned around, "Like it should be something else."

Everyone looked at the screen waiting for an answer from WarThunder but it never came. They decided to get on with the movie.

 **Bullets came flying at him, he jumped over a white car and ducked behind the second SUV. The bullets stopped, Jaune stood up and saw the man reloading, he yelped when he resumed fire. The man jumped on the hood of the car and aimed at Jaune striking a pose on the pavement.**

 **Click.**

" **Someone's not counting," Jaune shot him in the head, "Six."**

"Wait I was supposed to be counting his too?" Ruby shook her head, "Aw damn it."

"Huh," Glynda clicked her tongue, "Here I thought he was just being stupid. Maybe he does have some tact."

 **Two more ducked behind a black van, one pulled a grenade from his belt, he lifted his arm to throw it, but Jaune stepped out and shot the grenade still in his hand.**

" **¡Me gusta cinco!" Jaune did a little dance, only to be shot. Right in the ass, he fell onto the pavement in a comedic fashion,**

" **Fffffffour," Jaune groaned as he shot up from between his legs. He slowly stood up and sighed, "Right up main street." He walked over to the guy who shot him, "Three, two! Stupid, but worth it!"**

"I'd like to retract my previous statement," Glynda groaned.

"Hey, he admitted it was stupid," Qrow defended.

"Saying something is stupid but doing nothing about it still makes it stupid!" Glynda scolded.

 **Three men were left, Jaune patiently waited a second as they all lined up. He did another little spin and with one bullet he killed all three of them.**

" **Ohhhhhh," Jaune moaned as he inhaled the gun smoke, "I'm touching myself tonight."**

"Me too," Ruby giggled to herself with drool coming out of her mouth.

"EW!" Weiss shrieked, "TMI!"

"As long as we're not in the room," groaned Yang.

"HOW CAN YOU BE OK WITH THIS?!" screamed Taiyang.

"She's fifteen," Summer sighed, "Can you honestly tell me at fifteen you were able to keep your hands out of your pants?"

Taiyang grumbled in response.

" **Adam!" Jaune happily skipped to the second SUV, "Oh, Adam!" he closed the driver door with his hip, then opened the back, revealing nothing, "What the shitbiscut?! Where you at Adam?!"**

 **Behind him a man was getting up, it was the third man with the bullet barely breaking the skin on his forehead.**

"Boy you better run," Yang watched him get up.

 **Jaune groaned as he turned around, "You're not Adam."**

 **He rolled up his sleeves and drew a pair of knives.**

" **Should've listened to Yang," Jaune drew the swords on his back, pierced the man before him, and lifted him in the air.**

" **I would say starting with a murder is pretty strong, but you've already seen that, so what's one more to the mix? But let's go back to before I put this sexy ass of mine in red spandex. Insert cheesy flashback music here."**

 **The shot changed from a close-up of Jaune's ass to a different ass.**

"Was that really the only transition you had?" Pyrrha sighed.

"Agreed," Glynda sighed.

"Man, you are no fun today you know that?" Qrow commented.

"I'd rather not have close ups of my student's asses thank you very much!" Glynda rounded on him.

" **Look would it help if I slow it down for you?" a different ass spoke, "I didn't order the pizza."**

" **Is this 7348 Red Ledge Drive?" The pizza boy asked, "Are you Mr. Bronzewing?"**

" **Yeah, the Mr. Bronzewing who didn't order the fucking pie!"**

" **Then who placed the call?" The tired pizza boy asked.**

" **I did!" Jaune's voice came from the bathroom followed by a flushing noise, "Pineapple and Olive?"**

"That sounds disgusting," Nora felt like throwing up.

"That sounds fantastic," Ren commented.

"Of course, you would think so," Nora rolled her eyes, "Your food always has something weird in it."

"I don't hear you complaining when I make pancakes," Ren huffed, "Especially when I use the red sap from Forever Fall."

"What else do you use that sap for?" Ruby cheekily asked.

"Don't remind me," Pyrrha shuddered at the sight she once walked in on.

 **The pizza boy nodded and brought the bag over to Jaune.**

" **Sweet and Salty," Jaune smiled as the boy pulled out his order.**

" **The fuck, are you?" Bronzewing was confused, "The fuck you doing in my crib?!"**

 **Bronzewing was cut off when Jaune pulled his 1911 from his waist and aimed it at him nonchalantly. He took a quick sniff, "Is that burnt crust I smell?"**

" **God, I hope not," the pizza boy was terrified out of his mind.**

" **Hey man," Bronzewing was close to messing his pants, "If this is about that poker game," he kept talking while Jaune stepped closer, "I told Mercury, I told Mercury...ok, look, just take whatever you want." He handed Jaune his wallet.**

" **Thanks," Jaune took it.**

" **Sir," the pizza boy spoke up, "Before you do anything to him, do you mind if I get a really big tip?"**

"Can't fault him for seizing the opportunity," Raven chuckled.

"Wouldn't you?" Qrow asked, "Of course you would look who I'm asking."

"As if you wouldn't either!" Raven snapped.

 **Jaune laughed, "Russel is it?"**

 **Russel nodded, and fist bumped Jaune.**

" **That's a no go on the tiperoo, Russ," Jaune shook his head while pulling a gold card from his wallet, that Mercury instantly recognized, "I'm not here for him. I'm here for you." Jaune turned his gun on Russel.**

"Oh fuck," Mercury chuckled, "Russel is so fucked!"

"What is it Merc?" Emerald asked with interest.

"Well I don't know about this place, but over here it has a name of someone who's got a contract out on them," Mercury explained.

" **Ok," Bronzewing sighed, "Dodged a big-time bullet on that one."**

" **Not," Jaune cracked his gun across Bronzewing's face, "Out of the woods yet. You need to seriously ease up on the bedazzling. They're jeans, not a chandelier. P.S. I'm keeping your wallet. You did kinda give it to me."**

" **Can I have my Sam's Card back at least?"**

" **I will shoot your fucking cat!" Jaune pushed his gun into his forehead.**

" **I don't really know what that means," Bronzewing sat on his chair while Jaune kept his gun in place, "I don't have a cat."**

" **Then whose kitty litter did I just shit in?" Jaune asked. Bronzewing looked even more confused. Bronzewing was just as confused as Jaune.**

"But we heard the toilet flushing," Ruby pointed out. Everyone looked as confused as Jaune in that moment.

" **Anyhoo," Jaune holstered his gun and drew a KA-BAR, "Tell me something, what situation isn't improved by pizza?" Jaune used the blade to open the pizza box, "Do you happen to know a Velvet "Scarlatine?" Getting that right? Scarletrina?" Sarlatina?"**

"Scarlatina you jackass!" Velvet threw her drink at the screen.

Many were about to object, but Coco quickly jumped in to stop them. She knew better than anyone how much Velvet hated having her name mispronounced.

 **Russel nodded his head at the last one. Jaune took a bite out of a slice, "Because she knows you." He spoke with his mouth full. "Russel," he handed the rest of the slice to Bronzewing who fell shy just so when he reached for it, "I belong to a group of guys who take a dime to beat a fella down. And little Velvet, she's not made of money, but lucky for her, I got a soft spot."**

" **But I'm..." Russel started.**

" **A stalker," Jaune finished for him, "Threats hurt Russ. Though not nearly as badly as serrated steel. So, keep away from Velvet."**

 **With each word he brought the blade a little closer to Russel's face.**

" **Cool?" Jaune asked.**

" **Yes, sir!" Russel answered quickly as his mouth let him.**

" **Then we're done," Jaune sheathed his blade.**

" **Wait we are?" Russel was a dumbass for asking that.**

" **Yeah," Jaune nodded, "Totally done."**

 **Everyone started laughing uneasily, "You should've seen your face!" Jaune pointed at Bronzewing.**

" **I didn't know what to do," Bronzewing held up his arms, "I was so scared."**

" **Soft spot remember?" Jaune nodded.**

"Oh, you jackass," Coco was about to throw her drink when Velvet stopped her.

 **Jaune knocked the pies out of Russel's hands and pushed him against the wall, "You even look in her general direction again and you will learn in the worst of ways, that I have some hard spots too." Jaune thought it over for a second, "That came out wrong. Or did it?" Jaune kissed his cheek while Russel squirmed with fear.**

Velvet broke into cackling and rocking back and forth in her chair. Coco calmed down and snickered. Ruby and Yang were laughing their asses off. Weiss scoffed at the immature nature but she was turning red trying not to laugh.

 **Jaune was walking down some stairs with a pizza box in hand, Bronzewing's sunglasses on, and a carefree stroll in his step. He found Velvet sitting with her friends. Jaune had to think for a second before pointing her out, "Velvet?" She looked up at him he tossed the pizza box in front of her, and some polaroid photos, "You've heard the last of Russel, he's sorry."**

" **No friggin way," Velvet looked at the photos.**

 **Jaune took off the sunglasses and tossed them aside, "Should've brought my roller blades, shown these kids how it's done."**

 **Velvet jumped up and hugged him.**

" **And that's why we do it," Jaune nodded, "But mostly for the money."**

" **Hey," another brunette with a beret spoke up, "Think you can fuck up my step-dad?"**

"You have a step-dad Coco?" Ruby asked.

"Meh," Coco shrugged, "He's a douche yeah, but I wouldn't call DeadJaune on his ass."

"Maybe we should call DeadJaune on father," Winter whispered to Weiss.

"Any idea where to get his number?" Weiss asked.

" **I give a guy a pavement facial because he's earned it," Jaune began walking away.**

" **Hey wait!" Velvet called out**

 **Jaune turned around but kept walking.**

" **You're my hero," she smiled.**

" **No-no-no-no," Jaune answered quickly, "That I ain't!"**

 _ **And I never will be,**_ **Jaune spoke to the audience,** _ **At least not in this universe, I'm just a bad guy who gets paid to fuck up worse guys. Welcome to Sister Raven's. Yeah, I know, but he's got to make changes to fit into the RWBYVerse so shut up. It's like a job fair for mercenaries. Think of us as really fucked up tooth fairies, except we knock out the teeth and take the money. You best hope, and I know Mercury can vouch for this, you best hope we never see your name on a gold card.**_

"Most of the time it's for assassinations," Mercury clarified, "But I mean I guess you could pay someone for muscle too."

"If you're being paid who cares what the job is?" Emerald asked.

"I guess," Mercury shrugged.

"So, if a guy came in and wanted to be ball-gagged and spanked you'd do it?" Qrow asked drawing the crowd's attention.

"You got something you wanna share with the class?" Glynda asked.

" **Sun," Jaune patted a man's back as he walked around the bar, "Neptune."**

" **Sup Jaune," they answered.**

" **Jaune Arc," Ren spread his arms, "Patron Saint of the Pitiful. What can I do for you?"**

" **I'd love a blowjob," Jaune answered.**

" **Oh, god, me too," Ren smiled.**

"Is that a request?" Nora lecherously smiled at Ren.

"Mistress Valkyrie," Ren matched her smile.

"NOT AGAIN!" Pyrrha yelled switching seats with Nora putting herself between them.

" **The drink mooseknuckle," Jaune slapped the card on the counter, "Hey, and I ain't taking any babysitting money, all right? Make sure that gets back to Ms…"**

" **Scarlatina," Ren finished for him, so Jaune didn't fuck it up again.**

" **Yeah her," Jaune nodded.**

" **You sure?" Ren asked.**

 **Jaune grunted in agreement.**

" **You know for a merc you're pretty warm blooded," Ren started making a drink, "I bet you let the kid off easy too."**

" **He's not a bad kid Ren," Jaune chuckled, "Just a little light stalking. I was way worse than him at that age. I was traveling to exotic places: Vaccuo, Mantel, Patch, meeting new and exciting people. And then…"**

" **Killing them," both said simultaneously.**

" **Yeah," Ren nodded, "I've seen your Instagram. So, what was Special Forces doing in Patch?"**

" **Classified," Jaune smiled, "They have a wonderful T.G.I. Friday."**

"I love going there!" Ruby piped up.

"It's alright," Yang shrugged, "The one in Vale's better though."

"It's close to home so I don't mind it," Taiyang shrugged.

"Ugh you all need new foods in your lives," Summer scolded.

" **All right," Ren gave Jaune his drink with whipped cream ontop, "Kahlua, Baileys, and whipped cream. I give you a blowjob. Why do you make me say that?"**

" **Yang, Yang, Yang, Yangy Jaune stopped a familiar waitress, "Take that over to Sun and tell him it's a little foreplay from Scarlet."**

"Well this sounds familiar," Neptune jabbed Sun with his elbow.

"It was one time for a bet!" Sun yelled.

"Pick a team Sun," Neptune shook his head, "Pick a team."

" **Remind me what good will come of this?" Ren asked.**

" **I don't take the shits," Jaune shrugged, "I just disturb them."**

" **SCARLET!" Sun yelled pushing people out of his way, "The fuck is this?" Sun rounded on Scarlet with a right hook.**

" **Cheers," Jaune turned back ignoring the barfight he just started, "To your health."**

" **Fuck you," Ren sighed.**

"You know what Neptune?" Sun lifted a barstool that came right the fuck out of nowhere, "Heads up!" Sun cracked it over his head.

" **Come here you blonde asshole," Scarlet** and Neptune **gabbed a barstool.**

" **That's a new stool," Ren watched as it was broken across Sun's back. Sun gave another right hook sending Scarlet through a table onto the ground. He gave another when he tried getting back up.**

"I got twenty on the crazy monkey!" Emerald yelled.

"What?!" Weiss shrieked, "Four hundred on Neptune!"

"don't encourage them Weiss," Blake groaned.

"Blondes stick together," Yang puffed her chest, "I got thirty on monkey boy."

"Break his legs!" Nora yelled.

Ghira got up and pulled them apart, "You're interrupting the movie."

" **Alright," Ren was moving toward him, "Move, move, move, move, move, Sun go rest." Ren knelt and held up a glass to Scarlet's face, his breath began to fog it up. "Yeah," he rose, "Still breathing."**

 **Everybody started groaning.**

" **Nobody wins today," Ren began walking back to the bar, "Nice try Jaune."**

" **You got me," Jaune admitted, "I picked Scarlet in the dead pool, who'd you pick?"**

" **Yeah, Jaune, about that," Ren sat next to Jaune.**

" **No," Jaune was appalled, "You did not bet on me to die." Jaune looked above the bar to see his name with $150 next to his name. "You bet on me to die. Motherfucker, you're the world's worst friend. Well, joke's on you, because I'm living to 102, and then dying. In the city of Vale."**

" **I'm sorry," Ren shook his head, "I wanted to win money. I never win anything."**

" **Whatever," Jaune shrugged him off.**

"Nice shot dick," Neptune rubbed the back of his head.

"Not bad asshole," Sun rubbed his jaw.

"Why are you two friends again?" Blake shook her head.

"Friends fight all the time," Sun shrugged, "It's only natural."

" **Soldiers of fortune drinks on me!" Jaune declared.**

" **Domestic nothing imported!" Ren quickly corrected.**

 **Jaune began counting the money from the wallet he stole.**

" **Whoa, whoa, whoa, baby," a familiar voice stroked his shoulder, "Are you sure you wanna blow your whole wad?"**

"Sexy Kitty?" Yang smirked.

"Goddamn it Yang," Blake groaned.

" **Uhhhhh," Jaune looked over her body, "TIGHT." He held up his pinky.**

" **Blake," she gripped his with hers.**

" **Jaune," he kept staring, "What's a nice place like you doing in a girl like this?"**

" **I'd hit that," Sun walked up and slapped Blake's ass.**

"Where's my barstool?" Blake demanded while Sun tried to run away. Ghira held him in place while Blake mysteriously had a barstool in her hands.

" **Sun," Jaune grabbed his shirt and turned him around, "You best apologize before…"**

 **Blake stepped up and grabbed his crotch, "Say the magic words Monkey Boy."**

" **I'm sorry!" Sun's face was turning red.**

" **Breath through the nose," Jaune advised.**

" **I don't have a filter between my brain and my-!" Blake squeezed harder.**

" **Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Jaune stopped her, "Hakuna his ta tas he said he's sorry."**

 **Blake let him go and Sun quickly ran away, "Hey, hands off the merchandise."**

" **Merchandise?" Jaune leaned against the bar, "So, you bump uglies for money?"**

" **Yep," Blake nodded.**

"Yang I still have my barstool," Blake held it up, "Say something, come on, say something."

Yang held her breath, her face turning red while Blake lowered the stool.

"How much for a night?" she blurted out and Blake screamed.

" **Rough childhood?" Jaune asked.**

" **Rougher than yours," Blake shrugged, "Daddy left before I was born."**

" **Daddy left before I was conceived," Jaune shrugged as well.**

 **Blake was confused for a second, "Ever had a cigarette put out on your skin?"**

" **Where else do you put one out?"**

" **I was molested."**

" **Me too, uncle."**

" **Uncles," Blake corrected, "They took turns."**

 **Jaune's eyebrows arched, "I watched my own birthday through the keyhole of a locked closet which also happens to be…"**

" **Your bedroom?" Blake finished for him, "Lucky, I slept in a dishwasher box."**

 **Jaune gasped, "You had a dishwasher. I didn't even know sleep, it was pretty much 24/7 ball-gags, brownie mix, and clown porn."**

 **Blake started laughing, "Who would do such a thing?"**

" **Hopefully you," Jaune smiled, "Later tonight."**

"Was any of that true?" Ruby was confused.

"I think so?" Weiss tilted her head, "I think that last one was not though."

"Hey Qrow," Mercury called back, "Got anything to say about ball-gags and brownie mix?"

"Don't forget the clown porn," Yang rubbed her black eye.

" **Hey, what can I get for $275 and a," Jaune rummaged through the wallet, "Yogurtland rewards card?"**

" **Baby about 48 minutes of whatever the fuck you want," Blake took the money, "And a low-fat dessert." Blake slipped the card into his mouth and walked off.**

 **Jaune just looked at Ren.**

" **Did she just put a gift card in your mouth?" Ren watched Jaune walk off.**

"Damn Blake," Yang watched.

"That's something I wasn't expecting myself," Blake was taken back at her own actions.

" **It's time to put balls in holes," Jaune was holding Blake while her arms were around his neck.**

Ghira was fuming, while Kali was trying to calm him down. Meanwhile an IV bag a blood materialized next to Blake.

 _You're going to need this- WarThunder_

Blake crumpled up the note and hooked up the bag to her arm.

" **I get it," Blake sighed while the camera reveled where they were, "You love skeeball."**

Blake groaned and was about to rip the needle out when she saw a little man in the corner of the screen shake his head.

" **Apparently more than you love vagina," Blake let him go.**

" **It's a tough call," Jaune nodded, "But we're going for a shot-for-shot remake, so this little gem stays in too."**

" **Balls in holes," Blake tossed him one.**

" **Balls in holes," Jaune caught it, "Prepare to lose tragically."**

" **Bring it big man," Blake smirked as Jaune threw the ball into the 100,000 hole.**

" **Ruh-Roh," Blake whined.**

 **Jaune nodded victoriously, "Ruh-Roh."**

"Cheater!" Ruby pointed.

"So that's why they started putting the stupid shield in front of them!" Yang laughed.

"Did you really not make that connection before now?" Mercury turned to her.

"Nope!" Yang kept laughing.

" **The limited-edition Pumpkin Pete: Defender of the Universe ring, por favor." Jaune dumped a handful of tickets on the redemption counter, "I've had my eye on this bad boy for a while now." He knelt in front of the glass.**

" **And I will take the pencil eraser," Blake handed him her seven tickets.**

" **Alright," the worker presented Jaune his ring, "You are now the protector of the planet Remnant." He handed Blake her eraser, "And you can erase stuff written in pencil."**

" **M'lady," Jaune held out his arm.**

" **Well, I hate to break it to you but your 48minutes are up," Blake took his arm.**

" **Hey," Jaune took off his ring, "How many more minutes can I get for this? FYI, five mini-rabbit bots come together to form one super-bot, so…"**

 **Blake stopped dead in her tracks, "Five mini-rabbit bots?" she gasped, "Three minutes," she shrugged.**

" **Deal," Jaune slipped the ring on her finger, "What do we do with the 2minutes 37seconds?"**

" **Cuddle?" Blake shrugged.**

 **Blake was slammed naked against the wall, with an equally naked Jaune pinning her to the wall. Her moans grew louder bordering on screams with each thrust.**

"DAMN!" Everyone screamed simultaneously.

"That's it!" Ghira stood up, "I'm killing this boy!"

"Good luck finding him in another UNIVERSE!" Kali yelled, "Now sit down!"

Ghira threw his drink at the screen anyway.

"Now we don't have a soda," Kali sighed.

 **Blake threw Jaune on the bed and straddled him while the scene changed. The bed had rose peddles on it, Blake's hair was longer, and she guided his hands up her body to fondle her breasts.**

" **Happy Valentine's Day," She leaned down and whispered to him.**

"Lucky," Sun drooled at the sight. He mistakenly said that out loud earning himself a punch from the Belladonna Family.

Ilia was thankful everyone was focused on the screen and not her turning pink at the show.

 **Jaune rolled her over and her hair style was different again. She was on all fours while Jaune was behind her.**

" **Happy Mistralian New Year," he leaned down but continued to thrust.**

" **Year of the dog," Blake's eyes practically rolled in the back of her skull.**

"Why do you have a blood bag Blake?" Weiss asked trying to ignore the screen.

"I don't know," Blake shrugged, _oh god! This is perfect, so far, I haven't needed it. This all seems pretty vanilla._

"I know why," Ruby leaned over, "Someone's likes what she sees."

"R-Ruby!" Blake tried to think of a cover story, but the blood rushing to her cheeks made that impossible.

 **This time Jaune was on all fours. While Blake was behind him.**

" **Relax," she leaned down and bit his ear, "And Happy International Women's Day."**

 **She tightened the belt she was wearing and thrusted into Jaune.**

" **Yeah, no, no, no," Jaune shook his head.**

If it were possible to flood the theater with blood, Blake's nose would've done just that. Thankfully her magic blood bag kept her alive as most of her body just came out of her nose. Ilia's whole body turned pink she was hoping nothing else was coming, then she turned even more.

"Why would he agree to that?" Qrow felt his ass clench.

"Like you wouldn't if _she_ didn't ask," Raven pointed to a White Hood.

 **The scene changed to Jaune and Blake sitting across from one another both reading books.**

" **Happy lent," Jaune smiled.**

 **Blake blew him a kiss in response.**

 **The calm didn't stay however, as the next scene was Blake on her back in a black lacy bra moaning. Her face soured, and her moans stopped.**

" **Jaune!" she scolded.**

" **Sorry!" his head came out from under the sheet with plastic vampire teeth, "Happy Halloween he spit the teeth out."**

 **Blake giggled and pulled him up to her face. The scene transitioned into Jaune slamming Blake onto a table of food. She forced food into his mouth as he thrusted.**

" **Happy Thanksgiving," she moaned.**

" **I love you," Jaune responded.**

"Do you two ever take a break?!" Weiss blushed staring at the screen.

"We did for lent," Blake wiped her upper lip clear of blood and unhooked the bag, "So, yes, yes we did."

"Because one day means SO much," Yang had to fan herself after all of that.

"Forty-six smart ass," Blake gasped once she had her face cleared and the empty bag disappeared.

"I think that's a lot of self-control if you ask me," Pyrrha crossed her legs, "But vampire teeth, sounds uncomfortable."

"Obviously it was since I made him stop," Blake pointed at the screen.

"Can we please stop talking about what my daughter just went through?" Ghira asked with his face still red.

"I can stand to hear a little more," Sun said but Ghira punched him again.

" **If your left leg is Thanksgiving," Blake was laying on the bed with a sheet covering her body, "And your right is Christmas, can I visit you between holidays?" he yanked off the sheet revealing her in a Snowman's sweater, he gasped happily, "That sweater is terrible! Red looks good on you."**

" **Red's your color," She pushed him with her foot, "It brings out the bloodshot in your eyes."**

"Uh no," Ruby spoke up, "Red is my color!"

"You can't own a color Rubes," Yang pointed out.

"Well I had the red color scheme before Jaune did!" Ruby pouted.

" **I've been thinking,"**

" **Really?"**

" **About why we're so good together."**

" **Why's that?" Blake sat up.**

" **Your crazy matches my crazy," Jaune nodded, "Big time." Blake nodded in agreement, "And, we're like two jigsaw pieces, you know, the weird curvy edges…"**

" **When you put them together and you can see the picture on top," Blake finished for him.**

" **Right," Jaune nodded.**

"They're perfect for each other," Ruby swooned.

"Is there a female version of never stick your dick in crazy?" Mercury asked.

"Don't let the loon in your poon," Ruby answered.

"Never date a drummer," Weiss answered.

"Don't let the cray cray in the vajayjay," Blake answered.

"If he's a prick don't touch the dick," Yang shrugged.

"Does it matter they're both insane," Cinder sighed.

"Can we just stick with don't fuck crazy people?" Emerald asked going over all the answers. Needless to say, the parents and staff were mortified hearing what they just said.

" **Jaune," Blake wrapper her arms around his neck, "There's something I wanna ask you. But only because you haven't gotten around to asking me. Will you stick it my…?"**

" **Marry me?" Jaune held up a ring pop.**

" **Jinx?" Blake held a really bad smile, "Where were you hiding that?"**

" **Nowhere," The camera zoomed out revealing Jaune's bare ass, "They say one month's salary so."**

" **You mean?"**

" **I do,"**

" **That's my line," Blake kissed him, "I love you Jaune Arc."**

 **Jaune was thoroughly confused, "You're supposed to…So that's a…"**

" **Yes!" Blake cheered putting on the ring. Jaune released his breath and began cheering too.**

" **I feel just like a little girl!" Jaune snuggled up to Blake, "What if I just held you and never let you go?"**

" **Just ride a bitch's back like Yoda on Luke," Blake smiled.**

" **Star Wars jokes," Jaune closed his eyes.**

" **Empire," Blake corrected.**

" **Holy God it's like I made you in a computer," Jaune kissed her, he grabbed the instant camera on the nightstand and took a picture of both of them, "Shake it, alright wee, break." Jaune got up and went to the bathroom.**

 _ **Here's the thing: life is an endless series of train-wrecks with only brief commercial-like breaks of happiness. This had been the ultimate commercial break.**_ **He took off his sweater and stood at the edge of the bed,** _ **Which meant it was time to return to our regularly scheduled program.**_

" **What the fuck?" Jaune whispered as he passed out.**

" **Oh, my god Jaune?!" Blake leapt off the bed to his side.**

"Well we had to get back to the plot sooner or later," Blake sighed.

"It was nice while it lasted," Yang tapped her shoulder.

"I'll say," Ilia sighed in relief.

" **You're clowning," Jaune shook his head at the doctor, "You're not clowning. I sense clowns."**

" **People react to news of late-stage cancer differently," the doctor nodded, "There are certainly options we can look into. New drugs are being developed every day."**

 **Blake was holding Jaune's hand with both of hers. She looked into his eyes then turned to the doctor, "So what do we do? Surely there is something we can do."**

 _ **Blake's already working on Plan A, B, all the way to ZA. Me? I'm memorizing the details of her face. Like it's the first time I'm seeing it, or the last.**_

" **Mr. Arc," the doctor was talking to Jaune, "Mr. Arc? Take your time to process this. Its important not to do anything rash."**

 **Jaune was back on the highway. He ripped the swords out of the man above him and sheathed them on his back. He sighed and looked around for a moment.**

"He clearly didn't listen to his doctor," Qrow laughed.

"Nonsense!" Oobleck zipped up, "One must always listen to their doctor."

"Yeeeah," Qrow sighed, "How many of your students actually listen to you?"

"I do!" Weiss answered.

" **Now if I were a two hundred-pound bag of assholes named: "Adam" where would I hide?" Jaune turned to the sound of a motorcycle revving, "Oh."**

 **It drove by him and attempted to shoot him, Jaune jumped on a nearby car and threw one of his swords into the front wheel. The bike flipped and launched Adam skidding across the pavement. Where he slammed into the SUV on its side.**

" **A hush falls over the crowd as rookie sensation Jaune Arc out of Vale lines up the shot," Jaune made a took measurements with his hands, "His form looks good," Jaune ran up and kicked Adam in the head against the car. Adam raised his gun, but Jaune grabbed it and kicked Adam again, "And that's why Vale rhymes with fun! Ladies and Gentlemen what you're witnessing is sweet dick-kicking revenge!" Jaune jumped into the air and made sure his crotch landed on Adam's helmet. He threw Adam against the concrete barrier, "This is taking unsportsmen like conduct to a whole new level!" he drove his sword into Adam's shoulder pinning him to the barrier. Jaune used to fingers to lift Adam's head, "Looking good Adam, well rested. Like you've been pitching, not catching. Ringing any bells? No?" Jaune lifted his mask revealing the horrifying deformities to his face, "How about now?"**

" **Jaune fucking Arc," Adam laughed, "Well, hello, gorgeous."**

" **Yeah like I got bit by a radioactive Shar-Pei," Jaune nodded, "Yeah, and whose fault is that, huh, Adam? Time to undo what you did to this butterface."**

" **Please," Adam scoffed, "You should thank me. Apparently, I made you immortal. I'm actually quite jealous."**

" **Yeah but this aint a life worth living is it?" Jaune flicked his sword handle, "Now, I'm about to do to you what Limp Bizkit did to music in the late 90s." Jaune reeled back a fist and it hit a metal crotch. He turned his hand around and began groping it, "Dad?" He looked up and Ironwood grabbed him by the arm and threw him into a nearby car.**

 _ **I think we can all agree that shit just went sideways in the most colossal way. Well, maybe not THE most.**_

"I was just molested by one of your students," Ironwood drank from his flask, "Well this is going so well."

"Maybe not for you," Qrow was laughing like there was no tomorrow.

"I am so glad I was wearing that helmet when his crotch landed on my head," Adam shuddered at the thought.

"Oh, come now Adam, I'm sure you'd like it," Mercury laughed.

"Are we going to have another barstool fight?" Adam asked.

"No!" Ghira yelled before anyone could answer.

" **This is my most prized possession," Jaune was in his apartment with Blake and he held up a record.**

" **Wham?" Blake asked.**

" **No, no, no, Wham!" Jaune corrected, "Make it big is the album George and Andy earned the exclamation point."**

 **Blake rolled her eyes and continued to make Jaune's smoothie, "So, am I supposed to just smile and wave you out the door?"**

" **Think of it like spring cleaning," Jaune went to a shelf behind the island, "Only if spring was death." Jaune pulled out a snow-white coin purse, "God, if I had a nickel for every time I spanked it to Weiss Schnee."**

 **Blake jingled the purse, "Sounds like you do."**

"Oh god ew!" Weiss screamed brushing off imaginary germs, "I need a shower."

"Relax Weiss," Ruby threw her arm around her shoulder, "It's not out Jaune. Or does ours do it to?" she whispered deviously into her ear.

"RUBY EW!" Weiss was repulsed.

" **Weiss is not going anywhere," Blake shoved the purse into her shirt, "Because you're not going anywhere. Drink."**

" **You're right," Jaune shrugged, "Cancer's only in my liver, lungs, prostate, and brain. All things I can live without." Blake forced him to take a drink. Jaune took one sip and was immediately repulsed.**

" **You belong here at home," Blake's voice was breaking, "Surrounded by your Pumpkin Pete, your Weiss and your me."**

" **Listen," Jaune sat on the bed, "We both know that cancer is a shit show. Like, a Yakov-Smirnoff-opening-for-the-Spin-Doctors-at-the-Mistrailian-Fair shit show. And under no circumstances will I take you to that show. I want you to remember me. Not the ghost of Christmas me."**

" **Well I wanna remember us," Blake was close to tears.**

" **I swear to god I will find you in the nest life and I'm gonna boom-box Careless Whisper outside your window. Wham!"**

" **No one is boom-boxing shit!" Blake joined Jaune on the bed, "We can fight this. Besides, I just realized something. You win, your life is WAY more fucked up than mine."**

 **Jaune began laughing, "I love you."**

 **Blake smiled and kissed him.**

"Well it's kinda hard to top cancer," Pyrrha shrugged.

"You could be paralyzed," Nora shrugged.

"I don't think that's worse than cancer," Ren commented.

"There's a chance you can beat cancer," Nora explained her reasoning, "You sever that spinal cord and you're never walking again."

 **The scene changed to a pool table. At Sister Raven's Jaune walked in wearing a black hoodie and sat at the bar.**

" **Jaune," Ren greeted.**

" **Ren," Jaune nodded.**

" **You look like you need a blowjob and a shower," Ren looked him over, "Though courtesy calls for the latter first."**

" **How about three shots of Patron?" Jaune suggested.**

" **Or!" Ren pulled out a different glass, "Triticum, aestivum, wheatgrass great for the immune system."**

" **Fucking Christ you sound like Blake," Jaune groaned, "Check it out, she sent away for all these colorful clinic brochures. I'm sure they're all FDA approved. Vaccuo, isn't that where you go to get cancer? Mistral and Menagerie, you know how the faunus they say cancer?"**

" **No," Ren shook his head.**

" **El Cancer," Jaune nodded with wide eyes.**

" **I could've guessed that," Ren shrugged.**

 **Ren pulled out the polaroid of Jaune and Blake, "You mind if I put this up? So, I can remember what you looked like when you were alive. At least now I'm going to win the Deadpool. Now that you're going to die tragically of cancer."**

" **I get it Ren thanks," Jaune nodded.**

" **Oh," Ren pulled a black card with a number on it from his coat pocket, "That guy over there came in looking for you. Real grim reaper type. I dunno might further the plot."**

 **Neptune passed him a shot, and he downed it as he sat across from the man in a white suit.**

" **Mr. Arc," he straightened his coat.**

" **How can I help you?" Jaune asked, "Besides luring children into a panel van?"**

"Oh, fuck you," Roman flipped off the screen.

"I dunno," Mercury examined the Roman on screen, "This version of you does look really creepy."

Roman and Neo threw something at Mercury.

" **I understand you've been diagnosed with terminal cancer," Roman nodded.**

" **Stalker alert," Jaune glared.**

" **It's my job," Roman shrugged, "Recruitment. I'm sorry you've had such a tough go. But you're a fighter, special forces. Forty-one confirmed kills."**

" **One every seven weeks," he grabbed Roman's drink, "Same rate most folks get a haircut. It's tough to forget being so impressive."**

" **And now you spend your days sticking up for the little people."**

" **People change, what do you want?"**

" **I represent an organization that might be able to help. What if I told you we could cure your cancer? And give you abilities most men only dream of?"**

 **Jaune thought it over, "I'd say you sound like an infomercial. But not a good one like Slap Chop." Jaune started a motion with his hand, "More shakeweighty."**

"Dear god those commercials were so stupid," Weiss rubbed her forehead.

"But they were funny," Ruby couldn't help but laugh.

"Remember the parody commercials that were made?" Pyrrha asked, "My favorite was pink tank top girl."

"Oh! Oh!" Ruby jumped, "The lady with one in each hand?"

"Yeah!" Pyrrha and Ruby burst into laughter.

" **The world needs extraordinary soldiers," Roman explained, "We won't just make you better. We'll make you better than better. A superhero."**

"Aren't we technically already superheroes?" Mercury asked, "I mean aren't semblances superpowers or whatever?"

"I guess one could look at it that way," Ozpin shrugged, "I mean there's not that much of a difference, especially since people add their own personal flare to it."

" **Look Agent Smith, I tried the hero business and it left a mark. But if I ever hit "Fuck it" I'll look you up," Jaune began only to sit back down, "Shit, we're within five-hundred yards of a school, so you may wanna…" Jaune returned to the back and pointed back at Roman, "His drinks on him."**

 **Jaune was sitting by the window while it rained. Blake stirred on the bed and looked up at him, "Hey, what's going on?"**

" **Hey," Jaune looked at her, "Sorry, I had a Liam Neeson nightmare. I dreamt I kidnapped his daughter and he just wasn't having it." He crawled into bed with Blake. They've made three of those movies, at some point you have to wonder if he's just a bad parent."**

 _ **The worst part about cancer isn't what it does to you,**_ **Jaune packed his bags,** _ **But what it does to the people you love. Who knew if this guy could save my life, but I knew there was only one way to save hers.**_

 **Blake's ears twitched, and she rose from the bed as the door closed.**

 _ **Isn't that what superheroes do?**_

"His heart's in the right place," Pyrrha wiped a tear from falling.

"The highway to hell is paved with good intentions," Blake shook her head, "He may think he's doing the right thing, but he's not."

 **Jaune hit one of the cars so hard he dented the frame.**

 _ **Let's pro con this whole superhero thing. Pro: they pull down a gaggle of ass. Local dry-cleaning discounts. Lucrative film deals, both origin stories and larger ensemble team movies. Con: they're all lame ass teacher's pets.**_

" **You know I can hear you," Ironwood shrugged.**

" **I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to them!" Jaune pointed at the audience.**

" **Stay here," Ironwood told Adam, "You've been warned before DeadJaune. This is a shameful and reckless use of your powers. You will both be coming with us."**

" **Look Irondick I don't have time for your goody two-shoes bullshit right now!" Jaune dragged himself up, "And you are?"**

 **Ruby looked him up and down, "Negasonic Teenage Warhead."**

" **Negasonic Teenage…What the shit?!" Jaune yelled, "That's the coolest name ever!"**

"It's a little too edgy for me," Ruby shrugged, "I mean you're just trying too hard other me."

"Says the girl with the giant scythe," Yang looked at her sister.

"You leave Crescent Rose out of this!" Ruby pointed the Finger of Doom at her sister.

 **Ruby just shrugged.**

" **So, what are you his sidekick?" Jaune stepped past them.**

" **No trainee," Ironwood crossed his arms.**

" **Ozpin left you behind on what? Shit detail?"**

" **What does that make you?" Ruby sat on the trunk of the car**

" **Pretending you're not here Negasonic Teenage Warhead can we trade names?" Jaune punched Adam in the face.**

" **Can we go?" Ruby rolled her eyes.**

" **Look!" Jaune began walking toward Ruby, "I'm a teenage girl. I'd rather be anywhere than here. I'm all about long sullen silences, followed mean comments, followed by more silences. So, what's going to be? Long sullen silence or mean comment? Go on."**

" **You got me in a box here," Ruby admitted.**

 **Jaune cheered right on the spot.**

"Oh god," Pyrrha cringed.

"What?" Nora asked.

"I just had a flashback to when I did that phase," Pyrrha shuddered. After a moment of reflection everyone shuddered thinking back to their middle school days.

"Moving on!" Glynda yelled.

" **We cannot allow this DeadJaune," Ironwood watched Jaune pace, "Please come with us."**

" **You big chrome cock-gobbler!" Jaune threw a piece of debris that literally bounced off Ironwood's flesh.**

" **That's not nice," he simply stated.**

" **You're really going to fuck this up for me? Trust me, that wheezing bag of dick tips has it coming!" He pointed at Adam, "He's pure evil! Besides, nobody's getting hurt."**

 **The man that collided with the billboard fell onto the car below. The three turned their heads to see the body slide off the car.**

" **That guy was already up there when I got here," Jaune immediately said.**

"Why do children always think that's going to work?" Glynda asked.

"Maybe they have gullible parents?' Summer looked at Yang her little trouble maker. Yang began whistling and didn't meet Summer's eyes.

" **Jaune you're better than this," Ironwood tired to reason with him, "Join us, use your powers for good."**

 **Jaune picked up a hubcap and tossed it at Adam's head, "Head's up."**

" **Be a superhero!" Ironwood was still talking.**

" **Listen!" Jaune turned to Ironwood, "The day I decide to become a crime-fighting shit-swizzler who rooms with a bunch of other little whiners in the Wizard's Tower of some creepy, old, gray-haired, Heaven's Gate-looking motherfucker ON THAT DAY! I'll send your shiny happy ass a friend request. But until then I'm going to do what I came here to do, either that or slap the bitch out of you!"**

" **Jaune," Ironwood sighed.**

" **Hey!" Ruby yelled.**

" **Zip it Red Riding Hood!" Jaune yelled.**

" **Hey Dead Douche!" Ruby pointed to where Adam was pinned.**

" **And I hope you're watching!" Jaune looked back at Adam but he was gone. Jaune gasped long and loudly. He looked at Ironwood then at the spot where Adam was. He did this several times before screaming, "That does it!" Jaune jumped up and punched Ironwood in the face. He then fell to his knees and shook the shattered bones in his hand, "That's not good."**

" **Jaune," Ironwood stepped closer.**

" **Cockshot!" Jaune's hand shatter upon impact, "Oh your poor wife!"**

"I'm not married," Ironwood shook his head.

"Doesn't change the fact that in this universe you really are IRONWOOD!" Qrow's laughter was infectious as the staff started laughing. Winter was chewing the inside of her cheeks, she shouldn't laugh, but she was so close.

"Ok," Ironwood chuckled, "That was a good one."

" **All the dinosaurs feared the t-rex," Jaune held up his broken hands. He jumped into that and delivered a spinning kick to Ironwood's face and then fell onto the ground. Ruby was enjoying the show and was laughing the whole time, "I PROMISE THIS GETS WORSE FOR YOUR BIG BOY!"**

" **This is embarrassing," Ironwood crossed his arms, "Please stay down."**

" **Ever hear of the one-legged man in the ass kicking contest?" Jaune hopped in place.**

" **Do you have off switch?" Ironwood asked.**

" **Yeah it's right next to the prostate," Jaune giggled, "Or is that the on switch?"**

" **ENOUGH!" Ironwood backhanded him, and he flew right into a car. Jaune groaned and fell off the car onto the pavement, "Let's go see the headmaster."**

" **Oscar or Ozpin?" Jaune asked, "His whole reincarnation-shtick is bullshit."**

Ozpin spit out his drink and began coughing wildly. The staff stopped laughing and stared at the screen with wide eyes. But as usual they weren't given an answer and the movie continued.

 **Ironwood didn't answer, he handcuffed Jaune to his hand and dragged him along.**

" **Dead or Alive you're coming with me!" Jaune yelled.**

" **You'll recover Jaune," Ironwood sighed, "You always do."**

 **Jaune snapped his hand back into place and drew a knife from his boot, "Ever see One hundred twenty-seven hours? Spoiler alert." Jaune began cutting his wrist.**

 **Ironwood lifted Jaune up as he was cutting. A giant glob of blood landed on his face, "There's the money shot baby! Are you there god it's me Margret!" Jaune kicked off Ironwood when his wrist was weak enough. He backflipped off the roof and landed in a garbage truck. Ironwood looked at the cuff and Jaune's hand was flipping him off.**

"The perfect note to go out on," Roman applauded.

"Only you," Cinder pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I would too," Mercury added.

"If I could heal like him," Emerald pointed at the screen, "Fuck yeah I'd do that too."

 _ **Rock, meet bottom. When life ends up breathtakingly fucked you can generally trace it back to one big bad decision. The one that sent you down the road to shitsburg.**_

 **Jaune was in a gurney being wheeled through a dark hallway.**

 _ **This? Well, this was mine.**_

" **Mr. Arc," Roman greeted him, "Nothing warms my heart more than the change of someone else's. You finally hit "Fuck it."**

 **Jaune sighed, "Just promise you'll do right by me, so I can do right by someone else."**

" **Of course," Roman nodded. He motioned for the men to wheel him inside. Jaune did his best to look around and saw a lot of different people with powers of their own.**

" **This place seems sanitary," Jaune was wheeled next to a bed and the men lifted him up, "First request is warmer hands," and slammed him on the bed, "And holy god, a warmer table." They began restraining Jaune, "We should really come up with a safe word fellas, "I'm thinking pork and beans." Jaune looked up and watched them leave only to have his head slammed down by Cinder, "Easy." She restrained his neck, "Aren't you a little strong for a lady? I'm calling wang."**

Cinder summoned a fireball in her head and stood up. Mercury and Emerald had to restrain her while holding in their laughter. Roman and Neo on the other hand couldn't help themselves as they burst into laughter.

" **What's with the matches?" Jaune watched her chew, "Oral fixation? Or just a big Stallone fan?" Cinder clasped her hand around Jaune's mouth and squeezed.**

" **Patience Cinder," Adam stepped in, "All in good time."**

" **Are you here for the turndown service or what?" Jaune asked.**

 **Adam smiled and looked at Cinder, "We have another talker."**

" **I'm just excited for my first day at superhero camp!" Jaune squeed.**

" **Shut the fuck up," Cinder decided to gag him.**

" **Mr. Arc my name is Ajax," Adam examined his eyes, "I manage this workshop. My welcome speeches us to be full of euphemisms like: "This may hurt a little." "This may cause you some discomfort." But I've grown blunt. This workshop isn't a government run program. It's a private institution that turns reclamation projects like yourself into men of extraordinary abilities. But if you think superhuman powers are acquired painlessly you'd be wrong. I'm injecting you with a serum that activates any mutant genes lurking in your DNA. For it to work we need to subject you to extreme stress." Adam flipped a switch and the serum was injected into Jaune, "You've heard the whole: "Make an omelet break some eggs" bit, right? I'm about to hurt you Jaune. I was a patient here once. The treatment effects everyone differently, it made Cinder inhumanly strong. It enhanced my reflexes, it also scorched my nerve endings, so I never feel pain. In fact, I no longer feel anything."**

 **Jaune began mumbling against the gag. Adam looked at Cinder and she removed it, "Thanks! Thank you! Thank you! You've got something in your teeth. Right in the middle there, just, a little nugget of romaine lettuce or something. It's been bothering me for a long time." Adam walked back and examined his teeth in a polished tank, "Made you look."**

"Damn Adam," Ilia shook her head, "Fell for the oldest trick in the book."

"I can't feel pain in this universe," Adam tilted his head, "That sounds like a double-edged sword doesn't it? I mean if you hurt yourself how would you know?"

"I never thought I'd hear any body complaining about not feeling pain," Weiss looked at Adam.

"Well what if you get shot?" Ruby asked, "How would you know you got shot before it was too late?"

"Probably the gunshot?" Weiss answered, "And the impact?"

" **Is Ajax your real name?" Jaune playfully asked, "Because it sounds suspiciously made up. What is it really? Kevin? Bruce? Scott? Mitch? The Rickster? Is it Basil Fawlty?" he said the last name with an accent.**

" **Joke away," Adam nodded, "One thing that never survives this place is a sense of humor."**

" **We'll see about that," Jaune challenged.**

" **I suppose we will," Adam accepted, "He's all yours." Adam nodded to Cinder and walked away.**

" **Oh come on," Jaune complained, "You're really gonna leave me here with less angry Winter Schnee?" With one punch Cinder knocked him out.**

"Damn," Roman watched Jaune sleep, "Now I'm really calling wang."

Cinder turned her attention to Roman but he kept laughing at her anger.

 _ **Adrenaline acts as a catalyst for the serum,**_ **Adam was narrating this time while Jaune was suspended from the ceiling while a man continuously used him as a punching bag.** _ **We're going to have to make you suffer,**_ **Jaune was naked in a cage while they sprayed him with freezing water from a high-pressure hose.** _ **If you're lucky, the mutant genes will activate and manifest in a spectacular fashion.**_ **Cinder was drowning him in a steel vat of motor oil.** _ **If not, then we'll just have to keep hurting you.**_ **Adam opened the lid revealing Jaune submerged in water and ice.** _ **In new a different ways more painful than the last.**_ **Jaune was chained to a fence that was constantly being electrocuted.** _ **Until you finally mutate or die.**_

"Fucking Christ Adam," Ilia was nauseous at the scene, "I know humans deserve it but damn."

"Hold on I'm taking notes," Adam had a little ledger in his pocket, "We can do this to some high rankers."

"Or we can do that too," Ilia sighed.

"Normally I wouldn't say this, but he kind of deserves it," Pyrrha nodded.

"How can you say that?!" RWY and NR were shocked.

"I agree," Blake crossed her arms, "Leave me in the middle of the night with no explanation while all I did was try to help!"

" **You mean a bucket list?" Jaune was retrained in a bed in the room behind Cardin Winchester.**

" **More like a fuck-it list," Jaune shrugged, "I'd really like to light a spliff off the Olympic torch."**

" **Pass it to me right after," Cardin nodded.**

" **Let's not forget naked tandem base-jumping with the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs," Jaune listed.**

" **Anything on my bucket list would involve public nudity," Cardin approved.**

" **Finally giving Meredith Baxter-Birney a Dutch oven," Jaune listed.**

" **No," Cardin shook his head, "RECEVING a Dutch oven from Meredith Baxter-Birney." Jaune wheezed when he tried to laugh, "Making banana pancakes for my kids."**

 **Jaune closed his eyes, "Blake." He pictured her in his apartment wearing his Pumpkin Pete ring, "I wanna see Blake."**

"Then you shouldn't have left asshole," Blake glared at Jaune.

"Cardin left his kids to come here?" Ruby grew angry, "I knew he was an ass but still this is pushing it."

"He probably has some bad reason to justify this just like Jaune," Nora was shifting to Pyrrha's side.

" **I don't know about anyone else, but I'm touched," Adam stepped into Cardin's room.**

" **We're just joking," Cardin cowered.**

" **No, no," Adam grabbed Cardin's toes, "It's ok, I encourage distractions. Wouldn't want you giving up on us, now would we?"**

" **Don't take any shit from him Cardin!" Jaune yelled, "I mean how tough can he be with a name like Taurus?"**

" **Taurus?" Cardin asked.**

 **Adam and Cinder glanced at one another. Before Adam went into Jaune's room.**

" **It's his legal name!" Jaune began laughing, "He got Ajax from the dish soap! Adam Taurus." Adam entered and glared at Jaune, "Snagged the dry-cleaning tag from your lab coat. FYI, I could probably get you the superhero discount."**

" **You are so relentlessly annoying," Adam inhaled and exhaled.**

" **Thanks," Jaune rolled his eyes, "Never heard that one before."**

" **Why don't you do us all a favor and shut the fuck up?" Adam asked, "Or I'll sew that pretty mouth shut."**

" **I wouldn't do that if I were you," Jaune shook his head, "See, that's the problem with round-the-clock torture. You can't really step it up from there."**

 **Adam viciously smirked, "Is that what you think?'**

"I don't like that look in his eye," Yang shrunk in her seat.

"He's got something worse?!" Blake and Ilia were shocked.

Adam prepared his notepad, while Ironwood was doing the same. If Adam was going to do this to humans, well Ironwood can do the same.

 **Jaune was unsurprisingly restrained again in another machine.**

" **If this doesn't unlock your mutation then nothing will," Adam was eating his lunch, "What this machine does, is lower the oxygen concentration in the air to the exact point to where you think like you're suffocating. If your brainwaves slow meaning you're about to pass out, then we crank up the O2. If your heartbeat slows meaning you can catch your breath, then we turn it back down. That's where we'll leave you, right there."**

" **And I thought you guys where dicks before," Jaune shuddered.**

" **You know what the really funny thing is?" Adam stood up, "You still think we're making you a superhero. You. A dishonorable discharge. Waist deep in hookers. You're nothing. Little secret Jaune, this workshop doesn't make superheroes we make super-slaves. We're going to fit you with a control collar and sell you to the highest bidder. Who knows what you'll be doing. Terrorizing citizens, taking down freedom fighters, maybe just mowing the lawn."**

" **What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jaune was genuinely offended.**

" **You're never going home after this, now there's a brave face," Adam closed the lid.**

" **Wait, wait, wait!" Jaune stopped him, "Seriously, you actually have something in your teeth now."**

 **Adam nodded, "Enjoy your weekend."**

" **Weekend?!" Jaune screamed, "Back up! Weekend?!"**

 **Adam flipped a switch and smirked as Jaune began to gag and gasp for air. Adam turned the lights off as he left the room. Who knows how much time passed, suddenly Jaune's heart monitor began beeping faster than it should have even in this scenario. He thrashed against the restraints as his skin began to fall off. All his skin and hair fell off him, but his mutation began to heal him, but it wasn't the same. The new layer of skin didn't properly apply and was a twisted malformation of his old self.**

 _ **Did I say this was a love story?**_ **Jaune was narrating again,** _ **I meant this is a horror show.**_

RWBY all threw up simultaneously. NPR were close too, but they endured to see what was going to happen next. Cinder and her gang were interested in this development. Now everything Jaune said on the highway made sense.

 **Adam turned on the light and opened the tank. Jaune was gasping savoring every breath he took.**

" **Fucking hell," Adam shook his head, "Looks like someone lost his shot at homecoming king."**

" **WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!" Jaune demanded.**

" **I mearly raised your stress levels high enough to trigger a mutation," Adam shrugged.**

" **YOU SADISTIC FUCK!" Jaune screamed.**

" **I've cured you Jaune," Adam smiled, "Now your mutated cells can heal anything. It's attacking your cancer as fast as it can form. Yeah, I've seen similar side-effects before. I could cure them, but where's the fun in that? Now, I'm going to shut you in again, Jaune. Not because I need to, but because I want to. Oh well, go ahead."**

" **You smell like shit," Cinder scoffed as she undid his neck restraint. Jaune responded with a headbutt. Adam laughed, and Cinder was about to kill him.**

" **It's alright," Adam chuckled, "It's alright, I think we owe him that one yeah? You take off, go on." Cinder stepped out while Adam looked at Jaune.**

" **Quick question," Adam leaned into Jaune's face, "What's my name?" Jaune didn't answer for once, "Didn't think so." He nodded and closed the lid.**

 _ **Sorry Adam, my lips are sealed.**_

 **Jaune was groaning as he spit out the match he stole from Cinder into his hand. He used his thumb to ignite it and he tossed it in front of the oxygen vent. Soon enough when the oxygen came back in, the fire spread into the tank causing a massive explosion. Soon enough the whole lab was on fire. Adam came rushing in with a fire extinguisher and began spraying the flames. He saw the chamber Jaune was in and saw it empty.**

 **Jaune rushed Adam with a tank and smacked him to the ground. Adam used the extinguisher to hit Jaune, he dodged and punched Adam in the face. On the ground Adam swept Jaune's leg and tried to attack him on the ground. Jaune rolled out of the way, jumped up, and hit Adam again. Adam blocked and tried to attack Jaune, but Jaune used his tank to send Adam flying. Adam stood up and popped his neck, Jaune threw the tank at him, Adam deflected it, and Jaune tackled him into the support beam. Jaune began to punch him repeatedly when Adam pinned him to the beam.**

" **You don't wanna kill me!" Adam held Jaune against the beam, "I'm the only one who can fix you ugly mug!" Adam got behind Jaune and suplexed him into the concrete. Jaune stood up and threw a punch, but with his enhanced reflexes Adam quickly blocked, jabbed Jaune in the throat, and threw him away. He picked up a piece of rebar and impaled him to the floor.**

 **Adam bent the rebar toward Jaune, "What's my name?"**

 **Jaune was too busy drooling blood to answer. Adam left, Jaune looked around and saw Cardin restrained to his bed. He closed his eyes as the inferno consumed the building. The ashes began to shift and Jaune dug himself out perfectly fine.**

 _ **I didn't just get the cure for El Cancer, I got the cure for El Everything. But there was only one thing that really mattered.**_

"You don't think Adam can fix him, do you?" Kali asked,

"If all mutations are like that," Weiss thought about it, "He and Cinder look normal, so he must have some way of fixing it."

"I think he's lying," Emerald thought about it, "I think he's just buying time to screw him over."

"I guess we'll have to keep watching," Ruby shrugged.

 **Blake was walking down the street wearing one of Jaune's old jackets. As he followed her he could saw everyone staring at him. He heard everything they were saying about him. He couldn't bring himself to approach her.**

"Oh, come on!" Glynda yelled, "You went through all of that for her and you're not even going to see her?!"

"Yeah!" Blake agreed with Glynda.

"You're saying you wouldn't be scared of that face?" Weiss asked.

"If it was Jaune," Blake thought it over, "And a nice long session of kicking the crap out of him. Then I'd be happy to see him"

"I wasn't expecting that to go there," Mercury snickered.

Blake and Ghira punched him too.

" **No way," Jaune sat at the bar, "I'm not making her life as ugly as mine."**

" **Come on Jaune it can't be that bad," Ren scoffed.**

" **Bullshit!" Jaune began pacing, "I'm a monster inside and out. I belong in a fucking circus."**

" **Jaune, Blake loves you, she wont care what," Jaune took off his hood, "OH!"**

" **You like what you see?" Jaune asked.**

" **No," Ren shook his head, "You look like an avocado had sex with an older, more disgusting avocado. Not gently. Like it was hate fucking. There was something wrong with the relationship and that was the only catharsis that they could find without violence."**

" **And the only one who can fix this fugly mug is the faunus shitstick who ran the mutant factory," Jaune explained, "And he's gone. POOF!"**

" **Yeah, well you gotta do something to remedy this because as of now you only have one course of action,"**

" **Damn straight, find Adam."**

" **Star in horror films."**

" **What?"**

" **Star in your own horror films. Because you look like a nevermore face fucked a topographical map of Vale."**

" **Here's what I'm actually gonna do," Jaune sat down, "I'm gonna work through his crew until somebody gives up Adam. Force him to fix this mug, put a bullet in his skull, then fuck the brain hole."**

" **I don't want to see that, or think about that ever again," Ren shook his head. He thinks your dead right? Maybe we should keep it that way."**

" **Like wear a mask?"**

" **YES!" Ren yelled, "A very thick one all the time. I'm sorry you are haunting. Your face is the stuff of nightmares."**

" **Like a testicle with teeth?"**

" **You will die alone. I mean if you could die. Ideally for others' sake."**

" **That'll do," Jaune wanted Ren to shut up now.**

" **All you need now is a costume and a nickname," Ren drank his draft, "Jaune the Wisecracker. Scaredevil. Mr. Neverdie. Hell, it could be anything, I mean everyone thinks you're Dead Jaune."**

" **DeadJaune," Jaune nodded, "Captain DeadJaune."**

" **First just DeadJaune," Ren shook his head, "Second isn't saying your name you know kind of counterproductive?"**

" **I'm killing them all anyway does it matter?" Jaune asked.**

" **Guess not," Ren and Jaune toasted.**

"He's got a point," Raven shrugged, "I mean he wants information and he doesn't want Adam knowing he's coming."

"But on the off chance that someone does find out his name wouldn't he know?" Yang asked.

"He's not going to be screaming his name as he works through the crew," Raven pointed out, "So, how are they going to learn his name?"

"Something still doesn't sit right with me about the name," Nora shook her head.

 **Jaune was sitting at his desk cutting white fabric as he made his first mask. He stood in front of a wall with Adam wearing a crown of dicks, Cinder and Roman.**

" **This shit's gonna have nuts in it!" Jaune looked at the audience with a smile.**

 **Jaune slammed a man into a pinball machine demanding to know where Adam was. Another man broke a poolcue across his back, so Jaune took it from him and stabbed him with it. A third man shot Jaune until he was empty. Jaune removed the poolcue and turned to the other one, he began chasing him screaming to know where Adam was. He threw a knife into a picture on the wall of suspects then stared at his ruined costume. He was now in a laundry made with a tide stick trying to get the blood out.**

" **Seltzer water and lemon for blood," Glynda was loading her own washer, "Or wear red. Dumbass."**

"Aren't you a delicate little flower?" Qrow asked Glynda.

"Well I mean come on," Glynda threw her hands up, "Who wears white when they know they're going to be getting shot at? Even if you heal!"

"She's not wrong," Weiss nodded.

 **Jaune was now sewing a red suit. It wasn't leather yet, and this one was missing its eyes. Jaune was standing in front of a ring where two faunus were fighting. Jaune pushed his way toward his target, he drew his gun but Jaune stabbed his hand with his sword. He fired two shots into the air making everyone clear out.**

" **Don't make me ask twice, "Where is Adam?" He was then stabbing a picture od his target with an icepick, "Made me ask twice, is the mask muffling my voice?"**

 **Now Jaune was wearing the suit from the beginning, he loaded his desert eagles, and his two swords. He shot two men at the bottom of the stair case, jumped over the railing, rolled and shot two more guys. He threw a man over a desk, then stabbed another man in a hallway. All while demanding to know where Adam was. One man tried to attack, but Jaune blocked with his sword and shot him in the face. One guy was crawling away while Jaune chased him laughing manically.**

" **You're about to be killed by a Zamboni!" Jaune kept laughing.**

" **WHERE'S ADAM!" He threw a woman into a box.**

" **No please!" she begged.**

" **Oh god!" Jaune covered his mouth with his hands, "I'm so sorry!" another one attacked him, "LITTLEE SPIDER MONKEY!" he threw the second one off him.**

" **WHERE!" kick, "IS!" kick, "ADAM?!" he closed the safe door on his head.**

" **This is confusing," Jaune drew his gun, "Is it sexist to kill you? Is it MORE sexist not to kill you? I mean, the line gets real blurry." He shot her anyway.**

" **¿Donde esta Adam?" Jaune continued killing men in the hallway. One man he killed on the toilet.**

" **TELL ME WHERE YOUR FUCKING BOSS IS!" Jaune screamed from the Zamboni, "OR YOU'RE GONNA DIE! IN FIVE MINUTES!"**

 **Jaune had a sticky note with a crude drawing labled: "Zamboni guy." Which he stabbed with a screw driver. Which was one of the many odd things he used on the wall of craziness. Steak knives, regular knives, lawn-darts, anything really.**

"Was a thumb tack too expensive?" Weiss looked at the varying objects holding up the pictures.

"He has thumb tacks," Ruby pointed at the board, "But he used knives to mark who he's killed. It is really satisfying stabbing a board."

"She's not wrong," Cinder smiled thinking about the random things she's burned just to watch the fires consume them.

 **Roman was seen handing a card to another homeless man. This one had USMC tattooed on his knuckles, "Don't hesitate to call me." Roman marked off his name in a small ledger and began walking with his guards outside.**

" **Nice to see you Jared!" Jaune called out from the top of a pallet, "I'll take the footlong, fully loaded."**

 **Roman immediately started running away while his guards stayed behind. Not that it mattered, Jaune jumped off the pallet he was standing on shot one, stabbed the other with his sword and pushed it down cutting him in half. Roman was running through the crowd when Jaune tackled him into a car.**

" **Forty-One confirmed kills!" Jaune dragged him up, "Now it's eighty-nine. About to be ninety."**

" **Mr. Arc?" Roman asked.**

" **Ding-ding," Jaune nodded.**

" **You're looking very alive," Roman smiled.**

" **Only on the outside," Jaune shook his head.**

" **This is not going to end well for me is it?" Roman asked.**

" **This is not going to end well for you no," Jaune answered, "Where's your boss?"**

" **I can tell you everything," Jaune cut him off with a finger to his lips.**

" **Oh, you'll tell me, but first," Jaune moved the camera away, "You might want to look away for this. This little piggy went to!" Roman began screaming, "Thank you Agent Smith." He stabbed his photo on the wall of craziness. "We all know what happened from here." The movie did a literal fast-forwarding motion as it jumped to Jaune with a unicorn in one hand and his dick in the other, "WHOOPS! Weren't meant to see that one!"**

"First my death is off screen and now you're literally jerking off?!" Roman roared. Neo did her best to calm him down, but this wasn't his usual brand of anger.

"Wait," Pyrrha held up her hand, "If he got his hand cut off, how is he masturbating?"

"With his other hand?" Mercury pointed out.

"Then how is he holding the unicorn?" Pyrrha asked.

Mercury opened his mouth to answer only to become immediately confused. Roman had stopped venting and asked himself that too.

"Why are we asking these questions instead of being repulsed at our friend masturbating on screen?" Weiss asked.

"Will being repulsed get the image out of our heads?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yes?" Weiss shrugged.

"Complaining about it won't make it go away, so deal with it," Pyrrha sighed.

 **Jaune rolled out of the garbage truck in front of his new house, "Some types of anger can't be managed," he continued to talk to the audience, "Like when your year long plan ends with THE WRONG GUY GETTING DISMEMBERED! That said, when it comes time to licking wounds, there's no place like home. I share that home with someone you've met already. The hot blonde blind lady from the laundry mat."**

" **God, I miss cocaine," Glynda was finishing her laundry.**

" **Her," Jaune pointed, "Forth wall break within a forth wall break, and you're reading this on a computer or phone, that's sixty-four walls broken!"**

"Wait what?" Ruby tilted her head, "I don't get it." **  
"She's like Robin to my Batman," Jaune explained, "Only she's hot, and a woman, and blind, and I think she's in love with me. Wait, pretty sure Robin loves Batman too."**

 **Jaune was knocking on the door, Glynda grabbed her stick and began toward the door. Only she tripped on the Roomba and Jaune forced the door open. It was the perfect scene with Glynda bending over and all. He thrusted against her and threw his sheathes aside, "Smells like old lady pants in here."**

" **Yes, I'm old and I wear pants," Glynda stood up.**

" **But you're no lady," Jaune slipped into some horrendous blue rubber shoes, "Oh, so comfy."**

" **Upside of being blind, I've never seen you in crocs," Glynda walked back to the dresser she was building.**

" **You mean my big blue rubber masturbating shoes?" Jaune asked.**

" **Yes, I know," Glynda sighed, "Downside of being blind, I hear everything that goes on in this house."**

 **Jaune fell onto the floor, "Sit on a stick."**

" **Bactin?" she asked.**

" **Yeah," Jaune revealed his stump, "Bactin should do it." Jaune rolled his eyes, "How's that Kullen coming along? IKEA doesn't assemble itself, you know."**

" **You're telling me," Glynda continued, "I don't mind the Kullen. It's an improvement over the Hurdal."**

" **Please," Jaune scoffed, "Anything's an improvement over the Hurdal. I'd taken an Hemnes or a Trysil over the Hurdal. No, I didn't get excited until I saw the Kullen."**

" **Screw please," Glynda held out her hand.**

" **Here? Now? Just kidding I know it's been decades," Jaune smirked.**

" **You'd be surprised," Glynda smirked.**

" **Pretty grossed out," Jaune's smirk vanished.**

"I like this version of me," Glynda smiled.

"She certainly is a lot more forward than usual," Ozpin nodded.

"Anyone else find it weird that Jaune knows about furniture?" Ironwood asked.

"Why would that be weird?" Qrow asked.

"He's a mercenary," Ironwood stated, "I mean it sounds like the last thing he'd know about."

" **Ta-da!" Glynda sat down and the dresser fell apart, "I wish I never heard of Craigslist."**

" **And I quote, "Looking for roommate, blind to life's imperfections. Must be good with hands." Or would you rather I build the IKEA, and you pay rent?"**

" **Why such a douche this morning?" Glynda snapped.**

 **Jaune shot to his knees, "Let's recap. The cock thistle that turned me into this freak slipped through my arms today," he raised his stump, "Arm." Jaune got up grabbed a stuffed unicorn, lotion, and a book, "Catching him was the only way I was going to be hot again, get my super sexy kitty back, and prevent this shit from happening to someone else. So, yeah, today was about as much fun as a sandpaper dildo." Jaune walked to his room and farted, "Hashtag driveby."**

"I don't even want to think about sandpaper dildos," Yang was repulsed by the very idea.

"that's just unpleasant," Weiss shuddered in her seat.

"Really Jaune a fart joke?" Ruby sighed, "Come on you can do better than that."

 **Adam rode his bike to back to his base. Where he jumped off and let it crash into a wall. Cinder was at work sedating and locking up their projects in metal boxes.**

" **Found out who our friend in the red suit is," Adam sighed, "Fucking Jaune Arc," Cinder was stitching up his shoulder wound, "Suppose I'd wear a mask too if I had a face like that. I only wish I healed the same." Cinder patted his back when she was done, "Still, we'll put him out of our misery on our terms."**

" **And when he heals?" Cinder asked.**

" **He can't," Adam put on a new shirt, "Not when there's nothing left of him to heal. You know it's funny, I almost miss the fucker. I like a challenge. But he's bad for business, now let's go find him."**

"He's going after the Sexy Kitty!" Ilia shouted.

"I'm never living that name down am I?" Blake sighed.

"Probably not," Kali smiled.

"Take it as a compliment Sexy Kitty," Yang laughed.

"How?" Blake rolled her eyes.

"You could be called a lot worse," Adam shrugged.

 **Jaune let out a relieved groan as he lay on the sofa.**

" **Tylenol PM?" Glynda asked sitting next to him.**

" **You can stick that where you stuck the Bactin," Jaune laid his head on his shoulder, "I raided my stash of wisdom tooth Percocet and I am orbiting the fucking moon right now." Jaune caressed her chin with his tiny hand, "But I appreciate the gesture."**

" **Am I crazy or is your hand really small?" Glynda asked.**

" **About the size of a KFC spork," Jaune flexed his tiny fingers.**

" **I get why you're so pissy," Glynda retracted from the tiny hand, "But your mood is never going to improve until you find this woman and tell her how you feel."**

" **What do I keep telling you Mrs. Magoo?" Jaune asked, "She wouldn't have me. If you could see me you'd understand."**

" **Looks aren't everything."**

" **Looks ARE everything. You ever hear David Beckham speak? It's like he mouth-sexed a tank of helium. You think Ryan Reynolds got this far on his superior acting method?"**

" **Love is blind Jaune."**

" **No, you're blind."**

" **So, you're just going to lie there and whimper?"**

" **No, I'm going to wait till this hand plows through puberty and then I'm going to come up with a whole new Christmas Day Plan. In the meantime," Jaune put up his feet in his big blue rubber masturbating shoes, "You might wanna leave the room, I bet it feels HUGE in this hand." Jaune whispered "Go" repeatedly as Glynda dragged herself up.**

"He can grow back hands?" Cinder gasped, "He wasn't kidding when he said he had the cure for everything."

"Can he even wrap his hand around it?" Pyrrha asked.

"Pretty sure that's the whole point," Glynda sighed.

"At least you're blind," Qrow tried to make her feel better.

"I can still hear him beating off on the sofa," Glynda sighed again.

"It's bad when we all talk about masturbating as if it were normal," Weiss shook her head.

"It's not?" Ruby asked.

"Oh gods," Yang almost cried.

" **So, the doctor says, "The bad news is you don't have that long to live." So, the patient asks, "How long do I have?" Doc says, "Five." Patient asks, "Five what?" Doctor says, "Four, three, two…"**

 **Sun and Neptune start cracking up. Ren took a drink and saw Adam and Cinder standing at the other end of the bar.**

" **Can I help you ladies?" Ren asked.**

" **I do hope so," Adam sat at the bar, "I heard you might be able to point me in the direction of a friend of mine. Name of Jaune Arc."**

" **Don't know the name," Ren shrugged.**

 **Adam watched Ren trey to block a photo in the cabinet behind him. He motioned to Cinder and she pushed him out of the way taking the photo.**

" **I've seen this girl before," she handed Adam the photo.**

" **So, you must be Blake," Adam looked at the picture, "I've heard so much about you."**

 **Cinder grabbed Ren by the throat and lifted him against the wall. Every patron in the bar simultaneously drew their guns at them.**

" **Sweetheart you might wanna look around," Ren pointed to the guys behind him, "This isn't the sort of place to do something like that."**

" **Easy Cinder," Adam stood up, "Put the little man down, we've got everything we need now."**

" **You sure?" Ren asked, "You don't want any clothes that aren't monochromatic? Have fun at your midnight showing of Blade 2. Thanks fir having my back guys," Ren watched them leave before going to the phone, "Jaune, we got a fucking problem, and by "we" I mean "you."**

" **I can't believe I'm doing this," Jaune and Ren were rushing down the street, "Is there a word for half afraid half angry?"**

"Malcontented, disgruntled, miserable, desolated," Weiss listed off.

" **Yeah, "afrangry," I guess," Ren shrugged.**

"There are two types of people in the world," Blake sighed while Weiss facepalmed.

" **Have you decided what you're going to say to her?" Ren asked.**

" **Fuck me!" Jaune grunted.**

" **Maybe not start with that," Ren advised as they entered the club.**

 **The club had purple lighting, the music was loud, and the women were naked. The announcer declared a woman named Chastity was coming onto the stage.**

" **Or as I like to call her irony," Ren chuckled, "How do you know Blake is even here?"**

" **Because I'm constantly stalking that Sexy Kitty," Jaune started moving around the club.**

"Wait," Ruby held up her hand, "Didn't he say he needed to save her in the beginning?"

"He said he had to get her back," Blake corrected, "So this is what he meant by it."

"You're not at all creeped out that he's stalking you?" Pyrrha asked.

"Not really because I know Jaune would never do anything extreme," Blake rationalized.

 **Jaune and Ren walked through the club. Jaune examined the ladies on the stage but none of them were his Sexy Kitty. He didn't seem to notice that Ren was stopped by a stripper with orange hair and turquoise eyes.**

"Bold choice," Pyrrha whispered to Nora.

"I don't go small," Nora whispered, she giggled when she looked at Ren shifting in his seat and crossing his legs, "Oh I am so trying that when we get home."

 **Jaune stopped dead in his tracks.**

 _ **Every time I see her, it's like the first time,**_ **Blake was wearing a short cocktail dress that ended right at her ass, she was bending over the bar to grab some drinks,** _ **Especially from this angle.**_

 **He was a foot away from her. He stopped himself just to drink in her beauty. Blake had a feeling someone was watching her, not just another patron, but HIM. The moment she turned her head, Jaune dove for the bathroom. She stood there with heartbroken eyes as she searched for him but found no one.**

 **Jaune washed his face in the sink, "Oh you weak motherfucker! Come on, get it together. This isn't about me this is about Blake. Here we go. Maximum effort."**

" **Blake," Junior called out to her, "Someone out back is looking for you, something about an old boyfriend or something?" Blake stared at him disbelieving. She walked into the back alley in the pouring rain. She looked around and finally saw the silhouette of a man against the wall.**

" **I knew it was you," Blake spoke against the rain, "The weird curvy edges. Like a jigsaw puzzle."**

 **The man kicked himself off the wall. Stepped closer causing Blake to smile, until the street light revealed it was Adam.**

" **You have Jaune Arc to thank for this," Adam nodded, and Cinder knocked Blake out.**

"Son of a bitch!" Blake thrashed in her seat.

"You okay Sexy Kitty?" Yang asked.

"No!" she pointed at the screen, "We were so close to getting back together! Then dish soap had to ruin it!"

"Dish soap?" Adam turned around, "Seriously?"

"Would you prefer arrogant prick?" Blake glared at him.

"Dish soap is fine," Adam turned back in his seat and shrunk.

" **Hey," Ren found Jaune, "Hey, where'd she go?"**

" **I saw her head to the back," Ren was more focused on the stripper in front of him, "Go get her tiger."**

 **Jaune stepped outside but found no one. He looked around and saw something familiar on the ground. He picked up the white coin purse and his face shifted to one of horror, "Fuck. MOTHERFUCKER!"**

"I can never get the fact that he jerked off to me out of my head," Weiss shuddered at the thought.

"Come on Weiss it's not that bad," Yang tried to reassure her.

"Should you really be talking?" Weiss snapped, "How many people spank it to you on a daily basis?"

Yang blushed at the accusation and tried to think of something to say.

"That's what I thought shaddup!" Weiss returned to the screem.

" **Wait, wait," Ren followed Jaune into his room.**

" **Cock juggling," Jaune raved, "Jiminy fuck face!"**

" **We can talk about what we're gonna do…"**

 **Jaune punched a nearby dummy.**

" **Or you could hit that."**

 **With every hit Jaune screamed: "Fuck!" A scroll started ringing, Jaune pointed at his desk, "Find it! Find it!"**

" **It's Blake," Ren picked up the phone.**

" **What?" Jaune rushed to his side.**

" **No, it's Adam," Ren read the text, "You want her? Come and get her. The scrapyard, 12pm. Love, Ajax."**

" **What is that?" Jaune pointed at the emoji under the text.**

" **That's the shit emoji," Ren explained, "The turd with the smiling face and the eyes. I thought it was chocolate yogurt for so long."**

"Why is that even a thing?" Taiyang asked the children.

"Beats me," Yang shrugged.

"I dunno," Ruby did the same.

"People like it," Weiss answered, "For some fucking reason…"

" **I need guns," Jaune exhaled.**

" **Ok which ones?" Ren asked.**

" **I NEED ALL THE GUNS!" Jaune stomped his foot.**

 **Ren grabbed the shotgun on top of the dresser. Glynda grabbed the rifle in the safe. Jaune threw a different shotgun and knife into his bag. Ren grabbed a knife on top of the cabinet. Glynda grabbed a shotgun behind the dresser. Jaune grabbed a rifle behind the toilet. A SMG duck taped to the bottom of the desk. An automatic pistol in the drawer. A revolver under his pillow. A people magazine with sexiest man alive on the cover. Ren dumped a box of ammo into the bag.**

"Does he have enough guns?" Weiss asked.

"No," Ruby answered.

"Why did I expect any different answer from you?" Weiss shook her head.

"Why Glynda have access to them if she's blind?" Qrow asked.

Glynda closed her eyes and smacked Qrow upside the head.

" **That's about three-thousand rounds," Ren nodded.**

" **And we all know what I can to with twelve," Jaune smirked, he turned around and saw Glynda holding a gun on them, "Hey, hey, careful with that, Ronnie Milsap! We're down range!" Ren took the gun from her.**

" **I was going to spend the rest of my night assembling the Borje," Glynda stepped next to them, "But this is holding my interest.**

 **Jaune looked at her with a shocked face, "I told you we're going with the Urvaj, not the Borje. Get it through your head or get out of fuck town."**

" **Shit," was all Glynda's response, "that's all the pieces in the house."**

" **Nah," Jaune held out his hand, "Come on. Let's go. Cough it up." Glynda put her foot up, "Up, up, up," she revealed an ankle holster, "Up, up, up." Jaune tilted his head trying to get a better view.**

" **Fuck you," she handed him the gun.**

 **Jaune lifted his pink duffle bag over his shoulder and shook Ren's hand.**

" **Jaune," Ren nodded, "I'd go with you, but I don't want to."**

"Real helpful Ren," Blake leered at him.

"I don't have super healing," Ren defended himself, "What am I going to do to help?"

"Moral support?" Blake shrugged.

"Not real that helpful in a fire-fight," Pyrrha defended her teammate.

 **Jaune grabbed another bag and stopped right before Glynda, "Listen, Glyn, if I never see you again I want you to know I love you very much and there's about one hundred and sixteen kilos of cocaine buried somewhere in the apartment right next to the cure for blindness. Good luck." With that note, Jaune left them.**

" **Wanna get fucked up?" Ren asked.**

"Never had a student ask me that before," Glynda shook her head.

"Has anyone ever asked you that?" Qrow smirked.

Glynda grabbed a barstool.

 **There was an elevator on the side of an old carrier that was currently being put back together. But for the moment it was being used as a base for Adam and his crew. Blake was trying to speak but the duct tape on her mouth prevented it.**

" **Put her down over here," Adam pointed to a staircase, Cinder zip tied her, "Go on then." Cinder yanked off the tape.**

" **Thanks, dickless," Blake looked at Adam, "And I mean you."**

" **Wow," Adam chuckled, "You're a talker too, you and Jaune."**

" **I've been trying to tell you assholes, my old boyfriend is dead."**

" **See," Adam agreed, "I thought that too, but he keeps just coming back. Like a cockroach but uglier," Blake was surprised, and Adam knelt next to her, "Now I may not feel but he does. Let's see how he fights with your head on the block."**

"Really Dish soap?" Yang asked, "Using a human shield?"

"I mean if it helps me gain the upper hand yeah," Adam shrugged, "Stop calling me Dish Soap!"

 **Jaune was about to knock on the door when Ruby in a grey tank top opened the door first.**

" **Ripley from Alien 3!" Jaune gasped.**

" **Fuck you're old," Ruby sighed.**

"It's not that old," Qrow scoffed.

"1992," Glynda looked it up.

Every adult in the audience suddenly felt old.

" **HA! Fake laugh, hiding real pain. Go get Silver Balls."**

" **you guys going for a bite? Early bird special?"**

" **Like there's something wrong with eating before sundown or saving money. No, you know that bad guy that YOU let go? He's got my girl and you're going to help me get her back."**

" **Jaune?" Ironwood yelled from within the Academy, "Is that you?"**

" **Yeah, it's me, DeadJaune!" Jaune yelled, "And I got an offer you can't refuse! I'm gonna wait out here, big place, it's funny how I only see two people from the RWBYVerse. It's almost like WarThunder is saving the rest of the cast for Deadpool 2."**

" **And that is why," Jaune was loading his guns, "In my opinion the movie Cocoon is pure pornography."**

" **Who brought the Twinkly man?" Gwen the cab driver asked.**

" **Twinkly, but deadly," Jaune explained, "My chrome-penised friend back there has agreed to do me this solid. In exchange, I said I would consider joining his boy band."**

"You know," Qrow was laughing once again, "This is the best thing I've seen since Ozpin was a pirate. You seriously drew the short straw Jimmy."

"I'm changing my name when this is over," Ironwood rubbed his forehead.

" **It's not boy band," Ironwood snapped.**

" **Sure, it's not," Jaune shrugged, "So, any luck winning Dew back?"**

" **I tried to hold on tight Mr. Jaune," Gwen sighed, "But Octavia is craftier and prettier than me."**

" **Well, I think you're pretty darn cute," the cab hit a bump and a screaming was heard, "Gwen, what was that?"**

 **Gwen smacked his lips, "That was Octavia in the trunk."**

" **Who?" Ironwood asked.**

" **My romantic rival Octavia," Gwen explained, "She's tied up in the trunk. I'm doing exactly what you said DJ. I going to gut her like a tandoori fish, and then dump her carcass on Dew's doorstep."**

 **Jaune looked back at Ironwood who was glaring at him, "I DID NOT TELL HER TO DO THAT! ABSOLUTELY NOT! IT GOT LOST IN TRANSLATION! GWEN, THIS IS NO WAY TO WIN DEW'S HEART BACK! I'm so proud of you! DROP OCTAVIA OFF, SAFE AND GENTLE LIKE. Kill her. AND THEN WIN DEW BACK THE OLD FASHION WAY WITH YOUR: GIRLISH CHARM. Kidnap her."**

"Subtle as a ton of bricks, aren't you?" Coco asked.

"The guy the tore up half the highway?' Yang asked, "I don't think subtly is in his vocabulary."

"Hey kettle," Weiss snickered.

"Hi pot," Ruby smirked.

"One of us is black," Weiss finished.

RWB and NPR started snickering while Yang's hair began to glow.

" **She's so dead," Ruby rolled her eyes.**

 **Gwen pulled over, "I presume a crisp high-five?"**

" **For you?" Jaune held up both hands, "Ten. Ok, guys let's get out there and make a difference! You know what to do." Jaune dragged his finger across his throat.**

" **Knock 'em dead Jauney Boy!" Gwen yelled.**

" **Time to make the chimi-fucking-changas," Jaune rubbed his hands together,** _ **Not often a dude ruins your face, skull-stomps your sanity, grabs your future baby mama, and personally sees to four of your five shittiest moments. Let's just say, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.**_

"Got a little reputation going don't you Adam?" Cinder asked.

"At least for him I do," Adam shrugged.

"Yuck it up Dish Soap," Blake smirked, "I have a feeling I'm walking out of this alive and you're not."

"We'll just about that won't we?" Adam grew agitated.

 **Epic slow motion shot of the three of them walking side by side while** _ **DMX's – X Gon' Give It to Ya**_ **played in the background. They walked in perfect sync until Ruby looked behind Jaune.**

" **Hey," she stopped him, "Where's your duffle bag?"**

 **He turned around and called Gwen. Here's why you don't use your phone and drive. Gwen dropped her phone and while she was reaching for it a garbage truck pulled in front of her and she slammed on the breaks. So, did the car behind her, and Octavia did not stop screaming when the car hit them.**

"Don't use your scroll and drive," Ozpin lectured.

"No one is going to listen," Ruby shook her head, "People are still going to do it."

"Then those people are idiots, don't be an idiot children."

 **While the phone was ringing, Jaune tried to stick his finger in Ruby's ear.**

" **Leave a message and have a happy day!" was the voicemail's greeting.**

" **GODDAMN IT!" Jaune hung up, "I'm gonna do this the old-fashioned way, with two swords and maximum effort. Cue the music."**

 **The song resumed, and the trio kept walking. Once they reached the carrier soldiers came out of every crevasse and all pointed their guns at them.**

" **JAUNE ARC!" Adam screamed from the top of the carrier, "WHAT'S MY NAME?!"**

" **Oh, I'ma fucking spell it out for you," Jaune whispered to himself.**

 **Cinder came up to Adam's side, "Go get some." Adam smiled.**

" **Superhero landing," Jaune tapped Ruby and Ironwood's shoulders, "She's gonna do a superhero landing!"**

 **Cinder jumped off the edge and landed on one knee with her fist in the ground.**

" **Superhero landing!" Jaune clapped, "Those are really hard on your knees. Totally impractical but they all do it."**

"That's why you wear armor," Pyrrha pointed out as if it were obvious, "Plus once your knee calluses come in it's not so bad."

"Why do you do it in the first place?" Nora asked.

"It's really fun!" Pyrrha laughed.

" **You're a lovely lady but I'm saving myself for Adam," Ironwood stepped up, "That's why I brought him."**

" **I prefer not to hit a lady," Ironwood pulled out some handcuffs. With one punch Cinder launched Ironwood across the scrapyard.**

 **Jaune watched him groan, "I mean, that's why I brought her?"**

 **Ruby held up her finger while she was on her phone in the other hand.**

" **Oh," Jaune shrugged, "No, finish your tweet. It's not…That's…just give us a second. There you go, hashtag it."**

 **Rose peddles surrounded Ruby as she charged at Cinder. Once she tackled her, the peddles exploded and Cinder went flying into a shipping crate. Jaune covered his eyes until the explosion subsided.**

" **I so pity the dude who pressures her into prom sex," Jaune shuddered at the thought.**

"You aren't the only one," Yang's eyes flashed red.

"Didn't we already have a prom?" Sun asked.

"Oh yeah," Port shot up, "How much did you win this year Barty?"

"Three-hundred," Oobleck answered, "So only six pregnancies this year."

"You bet on it?!" Glynda was outraged.

"Oh shit," Port and Oobleck were scared.

"My money's just as good as his!" Glynda crossed her arms and pouted.

Port and Oobleck were confused, "Well there's always next year."

" **Alright then," Cinder nodded, "FIRE!" and her soldiers did just that.**

 **Jaune rushed forward and tackled Ruby behind cover. Ironwood was bullet proof, so he strolled forward, grabbed a nearby tire and threw it into the shooters on the high ground.**

" **FINISH FUCKING HER THE FUCK UP!" Jaune ordered.**

" **Language please," Ironwood scolded as he kept walking.**

" **SUCK A COCK!" Jaune yelled as Ironwood was tackled. He kept punching her even as she drove him through a mountain of metal. Ironwood turned her around and put her in a headlock. Cinder jumped up and used the momentum to throw Ironwood in front of her. She tried to attack him, but he rolled out of the way. He tried to punch, but Cinder grabbed his fist, twisted his arm and punched him in the chest.**

"Finally!" Cinder cheered, "I can see what my super strength is really capable of!"

"Climax time!" Emerald shouted.

"If I'm made of metal than she shouldn't be able to hurt me," Ironwood reasoned.

"Maybe normal people not super strength ones," Ozpin watched, "Let's find out."

 **Jaune and Ruby were still behind cover under fire.**

" **Look away child," Jaune told her, "LOOK AWAY!" Jaune screamed in agony as he ripped off his underwear. He tied it to a stick and waved it like a flag, "WAIT!"**

" **CEASE FIRE!" One of them yelled, and the firing stopped.**

" **Hey!" Jaune stuck his head out, "You only work for that shit-spackled muppet fart. So, I'ma give you a chance for y'all to lay down your firearms in exchange for preferential bordering on gentle, possibly even lover-like treatment." The firing resumed, and he ducked behind cover, "Fine. Commando!"**

 **Jaune jumped over the barrier with a sword and he cut off one man's leg. The next man he cut half way through his midsection, knelt, and threw his knife into one man's eye. He jumped on a nearby car, onto the shipping container and decapitated one standing there. While the head was in the air he kicked it to one guy on the ground.**

"I just realized something," Ruby squinted her eyes, "He has a holster on each thigh, why didn't he have two guns outside the bag just like the beginning?"

"That wouldn't make this nearly as exciting now would it?" Nora asked.

"But it would make more sense!" Ruby complained.

"But it wouldn't be exciting!" Nora defended.

 **Ironwood punched Cinder into a nearby metal wall. She fell onto the ground and quickly got back up when Ironwood marched toward her. He swung, she ducked under his fist and punched him, kicked inside his knee and drove his face into a pile of scrap. Ironwood recovered and swung but she dodged again and used his momentum to flip him. She swung but Ironwood dodged and while her back was turned he punched her in the back and she flew into a nearby car.**

"So much for not being able to hurt you," Cinder smirked, "Must be too used to people not being able to hurt you."

"I like a challenge," Ironwood glared, "We'll just see who wins this scenario."

 **With both swords in hand Jaune cut down more of Adam's soldiers. He cut the hand off one, stabbed another in the shoulder, and while his sword was tuck he turned around kicked a man in the knee and slit his throat. He kicked the guy off his sword and continued to go. Ruby was behind a van she looked in the side mirror and saw three guys on the other side. Her body was wrapped in rose peddles and the explosion pushed the van into the wall crushing them.**

"I wish my semblance was explosions," Ruby watched with stars in her eyes.

"Then we'd have two and one Yang is already too much to handle," Weiss sighed.

"You're telling me," Taiyang and Ruby sighed.

"Hey!" Yang pouted.

"Not to mention Nora," Pyrrha shook her head.

"You love me, and you know it," Nora lay in Pyrrha's lap.

 **Ironwood has Cinder by the throat and he slammed her into the ground. He punched her while she was down, he tried again but cinder wrapped her legs around his arm and put her feet in his face. Ironwood couldn't get free, so, he lifted his arm and bashed Cinder into a car twice and threw her off onto the ground. He grabbed her neck and threw her into another pile of scrap.**

"HA!" Ironwood cheered.

"Damn it!" Cinder grit her teeth, "I can come back from this!"

"I don't think I've ever seen you this fired up before James," Glynda watched him practically vibrate in his seat.

"This is exciting!" Ironwood simply answered, "If you were in my position you'd feel the same way."

 **Jaune jumped off the container he was standing on, "Teabag!" he laughed as his crotch landed on the woman's face. He rolled off, kicked the gun out of her hand, and was about to cut her head off when he stopped, "Coco?"**

" **Jaune?" Coco pulled down her mask.**

" **Oh, my god, I haven't seen you since…"**

" **Patch,"**

" **TGI,"**

" **Fridays," they both finished each other's sentence.**

" **Well, what the hell?" Jaune put away his swords, "Come here you," he pulled her up and headbutted her. "How are the kids? Good. And Velvet? She still making that tuna casserole? So good! But bad for the waistline, if you know what I'm talking about." Jaune picked up her feet and dragged her away.**

"He's got a point," Coco tapped her belly.

"Want me to stop?" Velvet asked.

"No!" Coco quickly fell to her knees, "I'm sorry!"

"That's what I thought," Velvet smirked.

"Tuna Casserole?" Blake's ears twitched and leaned closer to Velvet.

 **Ironwood marched over to the pile he threw Cinder in. He tore off and found Cinder.**

" **WHOA!" Ironwood held up his hands covering his face, "Your…" he pointed at her chest, "On the left. You are a beautiful woman."**

" **Thanks!" Cinder fixed her clothes, "You are so sweet!" once her breast was back in he punched Ironwood right in the crotch and sent him flying away screaming.**

Cinder burst out laughing so hard she fell out of her chair. Mercury and Emerald joinder her.

"You just had to be such a gentleman, didn't you?" Glynda rolled her eyes.

"Well I mean it would be rude to continue fighting with a breast hanging out," Ironwood shrugged.

"It's not like it makes a difference," Raven commented.

"What makes you so sure?" Qrow looked at his sister.

Raven just stared at him with skeptical eyes.

" **Yoohoo!" Jaune yelled calling Adam to the side of the ship. He looked down and saw his name spelled out with the bodies of the men Jaune had killed. One of the bodies had its pants pulled down so it was mooning Adam.**

" **Does he write you notes too?" Adam asked Blake as his soldiers lined up beside him, "He's such a romantic."**

" **Don't worry baby I'm coming," Jaune looked up at them.**

 **Blake tried to punch Adam, but he grabbed her wrist and dragged her away, "FIRE!"**

 **Jaune ran away to avoid the hail of bullets. He looked around for a way up there.**

" **HEY!" Ruby yelled she pointed to a broken plane wing she was under, "CLIMB ON!" Jaune nodded and ran over to her. He jumped on a car, flipped in the air, and landed on the broken wing. Ruby charged an explosion and launched Jaune into the air where his trademarked high-pitched girly screamed echoed.**

 **The wing conveniently hit the three men shooting at him, and when it came back down it crushed two of them. Jaune pulled himself over the edge and saw Adam standing next to Blake in a very familiar chamber.**

" **Motherfucker should've worn his brown pants," Jaune limped over, "You were right, beautiful. Red really is my color."**

" **Jaune?" Blake gasped.**

" **Don't worry baby, I'm gonna get you out of that shit box!" Jaune declared.**

" **What better way to crawl back inside that head of yours?" Adam asked.**

" **Oh, you never left," Jaune shook his head.**

" **But you did asshole!" Blake yelled.**

" **Deep breath darling," Adam advised as he turned on the machine, "Oh wait, wrong choice of words." He walked away as she started gagging.**

"Now you have puns?" Ilia crossed her arms.

"That's my department Dish Soap," Yang was offended.

"You don't own puns," Adam sighed, "AND STOP CALLING ME DISH SOAP!"

"shut up!" Mercury yelled, "The fight's about to start!"

" **I hope they blocked every last nerve ending in your whole body! Cause I'ma go looking!" Jaune declared.**

" **I hear you grow back body parts now," Adam grabbed two axes, "When I'm finished, parts will have to grow back you."**

" **Good one," Jaune nodded, "Yeah, that was a good one. Let's dance, and by dance, I mean: "Let's try to kill each other."**

 **Adam attacked first and Jaune blocked his attacks while using the fight to turn around. Adam headbutted Jaune, and he jumped kicked Adam. Jaune backflipped and threw his sword into the glass allowing Blake to breathe. Adam attacked while Jaune had his back turned, he wasn't as effective with one sword. Adam lodged the spiked end of his axe in Jaune back and dragged him into a shipping container. Adam swung for his head but Jaune punched and kicked himself free. He stabbed Adam in the leg pinning him to the container, Adam kicked Jaune with his free leg into another one. Using his axes, he broke the handle off the sword and pulled his leg free. He threw one of his axes but Jaune caught it and threw it back. Adam deleted it, Jaune flipped in the air and kicked Adam into some barrels.**

"See just like that," Adam pointed to himself, "That could've easily cut my femoral. I'd be dead in a matter of seconds!"

"But it didn't," Weiss declared, "You're alright now stop complaining!"

Adam crossed his arms and grumbled in his seat.

 **Cinder walked over Ironwood laying in the dirt, she wrapped a piece of rebar around his neck, and pressed his neck with her foot. Blake used the sword in the container to break the restraints holding her.**

" **Fine," Adam tossed the debris off him, "Fists."**

" **Sounds like your last Saturday night," Jaune joked as they engaged in a fist fight. Jaune tried to flip kick him again but Adam caught his leg and pulled Jaune's knife. Adam then threw Jaune through a crate and into a forklift. As Jaune tried to get up, Adam came running in with a knee to the face, and stabbed Jaune with his own blade. Using the knife to keep him in place, Adam began punching him mercilessly.**

 **Blake pushed the sword out of the container and freed herself. Not wasting any time, she grabbed the sword and stabbed Adam in the back forcing him off Jaune.**

 **A little more than disoriented Jaune saw Blake as heavenly music was playing. Cartoon characters were dancing around her? Jaune waved at all of them. Jaune made a little heart with his hands and more cartoon characters appeared. Then he made a hole with one hand and inserted his other finger.**

" **Asshole!" Blake yelled as the cartoon characters began melting.**

 **Adam picked up Blake and threw her away from them. Jaune stood up and the music began to distort. He quickly removed the knife still in his head and the music returned to normal.**

"At least we know where his priorities lie," Yang sighed.

"Yeah," Blake sighed, "Don't focus on saving my just getting laid. Asshole."

"I think this Blake is the most accurate you so far," Ilia smirked.

"You think I'm some sex fiend?" Blake turned back to see Ilia quickly turning pink.

 **Ruby watched Cinder choke Ironwood. She charged an explosion sending her into the air. While in mid-air she charged another one and detonated it when she landed right on top of Cinder. The resulting explosion caused the carrier to tilt. Jaune and Adam tried to fight each other but they kept losing their balance, until a container knocked Adam off the ship.**

" **Hang in there, baby!" Jaune ran for Blake.**

" **Jaune!" Blake held out her hand.**

" **Gotcha!" Jaune grabbed her hand.**

" **I got a plan," Jaune watched the suffocating chamber roll toward them, "You're not going to like it." He grabbed the chamber and threw Blake inside. Only the chamber was caught on something and Jaune was sent dangling over the edge.**

" **Don't worry!" Jaune yelled, "Totally on top of this!"**

 **As the structure weakened Ironwood was seen running with Ruby over his shoulder and Cinder under his arm. Jaune looked behind Blake and saw another container sliding toward them.**

" **MAXIUM EFFORT!" Jaune yelled as he pulled the chamber off the ship as it finally collapsed, and the screen went black.**

"I'm dead?!" Blake screamed.

"Of course not!" Pyrrha matched her volume, "Jaune wouldn't do something without a plan."

"A little tube of glass won't protect me from a collapsing ship!" Blake yelled.

"Why are you yelling?!" Ruby yelled not helping the situation.

 **Ironwood lifted the concrete covering Blake's chamber. Ruby went into the hole and opened it. Blake was confused seeing them, but she thanked them anyway. Once she was out of the hole Ironwood dropped the slab of concrete.**

" **Yoohoo!" Jaune yelled from the top of the ship, "That was so awesome!" Adam tackled him from behind.**

"Told you so," Pyrrha stuck her tongue out a Blake.

"Goddamn Dish soap you just don't die do you?" Ilia waved at the screen.

"That's my new name isn't it?" Adam sighed.

"Yeah pretty much," Blake nodded, "It suits you though."

"How?" Adam asked.

"Because it's funny," Blake chuckled.

 **They began rolling down the mountain of scrap and landed next to each other. Jaune was quick to get on top of Adam and begin to attack him. Adam tried to defend but Jaune broke both of his arms.**

" **There are no words!" Jaune gasped, "Me and you are headed to fix this butterface."**

" **What?" Adam started laughing, "You stupid fucking idiot. Did you really think there was a cure for that?"**

" **What?" Jaune tilted his head.**

" **You heard me," Adam nodded.**

" **No, NO!" Jaune yelled but Adam kept laughing, "So, you mean to say after all of this, you can't fix me?"**

" **It sounds even stupider when you say it," Adam taunted.**

" **Like the kind of stupid who admits he can't do the one thing I'm keeping him alive for?" Jaune pulled a gun, "Any last words?"**

" **What's my name?" Adam put his forehead to the barrel.**

" **Who fucking cares?" Jaune chambered a bullet.**

" **JAUNE!" Ironwood stopped him, "Four or five moments."**

" **I'm sorry?" Jaune looked around.**

" **Four or five moments, that's all it takes."**

" **To?"**

" **Be a hero," Ironwood explained, "Everyone thinks it's a full-time job. Wake up a hero, brush your teeth a hero, go to work a hero. Not true. Over a lifetime, there are only four or five moments that really matter. Moments when you're offered a choice. To make a sacrifice, conquer a flaw, save a friend, spare an enemy. In these moments everything else falls away. The way the world sees us. The way we…"**

 **Jaune pulled the trigger.**

" **Why?!" Ironwood began throwing up.**

"Seriously?" Ruby asked, "He's been killing this entire movie was this really such a shocker."

"I bet he wanted his speech to change his mind," Weiss pointed out, "I mean we all knew it wouldn't work but still."

"It could've worked," Ironwood protested.

"No, it wouldn't have," Raven stated.

"In your dreams maybe," Qrow confirmed.

" **You were droning on," Jaune stated, "sure I may be stuck looking like a pepperoni flatbread, but at least fuckface won't heal from that. If wearing superhero tights means sparing psychopaths, then maybe I wasn't meant to wear them. Not everyone monitors a hall like you."**

" **Just promise," Ironwood pointed at him.**

" **Yeah, yeah," Jaune waved him off, "I'll be on the look out for the next four moments." Jaune looked back at Blake, "Oh, shit. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm just a boy, about to stand in front of a girl about to tell her…WHAT THE FUCK AM I GOING TO TELL HER?"**

" **Well," Ironwood smirked, "You'd better figure it out."**

" **I can't even tell you," Blake punched him, "I deserve that." Punch, "That too," she was about to kick him when he covered his junk, "No, no, no maybe not the nethers."**

" **Start talking!" she demanded.**

" **I'm sorry," Jaune answered, "I'm so sorry. For everything, I'm sorry for leaving, I'm sorry for not cowboying up sooner. It's been a rough couple of years."**

" **ROUGH?!" Blake screamed.**

" **I live in a crack house," Jaune explained, "With a family of twelve. Every night we spoon for warmth. Everybody fights for Noelle, she's the fattest. There's nothing we don't share. Floor space, dental floss, even condoms."**

" **So, you live in a house?" Blake asked.**

"YES!" Blake cheered.

"What?!" Yang was taken back by the emotion displayed by her partner.

"We're back together!" Blake cheered.

"As long as there isn't another sex montage," Ghira sighed.

 **Jaune stepped up to her, "I should've found you sooner. But, baby, the guy under this mask isn't the same one you remember."**

" **You mean this mask?" Jaune flinched when she reached for his mask. When she tried a second time he held still. She pulled off the mask revealing a cut out of people magazine stapled to his face.**

" **And this one," Jaune nodded, "In case the other fell off." Blake began to fiddle with the staples, "Like a band-aid, just give it a." she yanked out the bottom one. "Owdie five-thousand. Wait," he stopped her before she reached the top one, "Are you sure?"**

 **She nodded, "I'm sure."**

 **She pulled off the mask and stared at him, "Wow." She was silent for a moment and Jaune looked away from her, "Hey," she pulled the bottom staple out of his chin, "After a brief adjustment period, and a bunch of drinks. It's a face I'd be happy to sit on." She held up her pinky.**

"Son of a bitch!" Ghira threw his arms up.

 **Jaune wrapped hers with his, "I'm not the same under the suit either. No. super-penis."**

" **Come on Jaune, language," Ironwood crossed his arms, "Young on is present."**

" **What are you still doing here? Get out of here. Go make yourselves useful! You go be a big brother to someone. Tell Beast to stop shitting on my lawn. And you Red Hood, nothing compares to you. Sinead O'Connor, 1990. Sorry."**

" **That's alright," Ruby nodded, "You're cool."**

 **Jaune gasped, "What in the ass? That was not mean! I am so proud of you!"**

" **We will make a hero out of you yet Jaune," Ironwood and Ruby began walking away.**

" **You know for a second there it felt like we were three mini-rabbit bots coming together to make one super-rabbit bot!" Jaune turned back to Blake, "And now, for the moment I've all been waiting for."**

" **Come here," Blake pulled him into a kiss she stopped when she heard music. She burst into laughter when Jaune held up his phone.**

" **Wham!" Jaune nodded, "As promised."**

 _ **See? You don't need to be a superhero to get the girl. The right girl will bring out the hero in you. Now let's wrap up this long ass story with the only joke that's appropriate, pull out. That's gonna be the only thing pulling out tonight. Who doesn't love a happy ending? Until next time, this is your friendly neighborhood Jauney Boy singing: I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you!**_

"Holy shit that was a long one!" Yang stood up and popped her back.

"But it was funny," Ruby did the same.

"I think my ass is numb," Sun stretched himself out.

" **Oh they'll be about this length from now on, unless the movie itself is longer," WarThunder waved at them.**

…

 **Jaune stepped out of the bathroom with a robe over his suit, "Well if you made it this far I gotta say you're one dedicated reader. Were you expecting something like a trailer for the next chapter? Or something along the lines of Deadpool 2? It'll happen eventually. I mean fuck WarThunder did ALL OF FUCKING DEADPOOL. Next is Naruto and after that it's back to Hellsing. But which one? OVA or Abridged? I guess you'll have to keep reading and find out. See you next time…and donate to the fucking P/a/treon! DeadJaune commands you! Also follow GnitalWarThnder on twit ter, he checks it more than he does the website. We're also gonna try to get these out every Monday. I said: "TRY" considering we still have to go to fucking work."**


	20. (XIII) The Final Battle

**The scene opened on a waterfall, on the opposite ends were two statues. The one on the right was Ozpin, that's were Jaune stood. On the left was a statue of Salem, where Weiss was standing on her head.**

 **Jaune's hoodie was torn open down the center, his right sleeve was burned up to the elbow and the bottom was burned. His face was covered in cuts and bruises but he had a look of determination in his eyes.**

 **Weiss stared at Jaune with one purple eye with a black ripple pattern and three tome on each of its two innermost circles. The other was silver with only three tome in her iris. She had a hole in the center of her dress and an exit in the back, and her flesh had evidence of healing. She grabbed a leaf that blew past her and held it in her palm.**

" **My explanation of what it means to be Headmistress represents my response," Weiss explained, "The way Winter lived led me to this answer. To protect Beacon and Vale, she sacrificed both her family and herself. First, I needed to know why. What is this land and city that she would go so far to protect? The previous Headmaster said that Beacon is a framework created to stop the slaughter of clans and children…a framework that was supposed to lead to peace. Winter tried to sustain that peace all by herself. That's when I finally understood…suffering bitter experiences, living in darkness as a criminal and traitor against Beacon and Vale…she was a huntress who took on all hatred and protected Beacon and Vale from the shadows. I feel she was the true Headmistress. It's not the one who is acknowledged by all…but the one who accepts all the hatred that is worthy of that title. I eventually came to understand Winter's feelings for her land and city. My big sister failed in just one aspect. She let me, her little sister, live. Unable to hide the truth from me, she allowed the hatred to disseminate. However…I'm not like my Big Sister anymore. I have no father, mother, siblings, not even a single member of the SDC. I am all alone. I alone can bear the weight of all the hatred now. And I alone will deal with everything personally. I will handle all of the huntsmen's problems. I will also dispense all judgement and punishment. I'll concentrate all hatred upon myself…and bring together the four kingdoms under my control. Hatred inside darkness cannot be eliminated. In which case, I'd rather…That's right…What the Headmistress is to me…is someone who will sear away the darkness of all Four Kingdoms with her own flame. And then keeps living by eating the ashes."**

" **And you think everyone will just sit back and say "yes" to that?" Jaune asked.**

" **I told you already," Weiss resumed, "I don't care what you or anyone else thinks. Besides, I have the power now to control it all."**

" **You don't have a clue about how Winter lived!" Jaune yelled, "There are things you can't do alone! Just like our battle with Kaguya!"**

" **But things don't always go well…" Weiss sighed, "Like with these two stone statues."** _ **And us two sisters…**_ **"With revolution…the Kingdoms will no longer have to bear darkness. And I alone will become the darkness. I'll dispose of the deep darkness of the past, and build a pure white future from scratch."**

" **You mean by killing the Tailed Grimm? The Maidens?" Jaune argued, "and the Four Headmasters?!"**

" **Exactly," Weiss simply stated, "I'm casting off the past."**

 **The very words made Jaune angry, he furiously glared at Weiss, "You're saying you can pretend nothing ever happened with Winter? You and Winter were sisters, and a lot happened between you…that's what made you who you are today!"**

" **Winter is now my past," Weiss continued, "I'm cutting all past mistakes and doubts here, and starting anew. By cutting you down. Yours will be the last blood I shed, in the memory of my late sister."**

 **Jaune clenched his fist, "I won't…let you kill me. I learned everything I know from the people of my past! Especially about how to figure out what to do after making a mistake."**

 **Jaune had a flashback to when he fought with a reanimated Winter, "You said you consider Weiss a sister. That's why Jaune, I believe you are the only one who can stop Weiss. I'm leaving Weiss to you."**

" **That's why…" Jaune grit his teeth, "I won't let you kill me."**

 **Weiss just stared at Jaune, and he stared back the only sound was the wind. They both jumped off the heads of their statues, they ran across the shoulders before jumping off them landing in the water. Using their aura to keep them above the water they continued their charge. They jumped into the air and their fists collided echoing through the valley.**

"Damn!" Taiyang and Yang yelled, they knew the kind of power behind those fists.

Weiss stared at herself on screen. She couldn't explain it, but she could feel the power coming from her onscreen self, and it was extraordinary.

"They aren't messing around," Qrow's eyes widened.

"This'll be interesting," Raven shifted to get more comfortable in her seat.

 **Weiss backflipped away while Jaune jumped back. They charged at each other again. Weiss kicked aiming for his head, he blocked her strike. She quickly adjusted and tried to grab his face, Jaune blocked with his elbow. He jabbed with his right hand, but Weiss ducked underneath it. Jaune punched straight down, Weiss narrowly avoided it, and countered with a jab of her own. Jaune blocked it, she swung with her opposite hand, and Jaune blocked with his shoulder. He tried to hit her stomach, but she caught his fist. She used the opportunity to spin Jaune around and attack, he blocked her strike, but this time she was expecting this. Weiss grabbed his hand and made a symbol with her hand and Jaune's. Jaune recognized this and immediately tried to backhand her. She ducked and struck his face with an open palm. As Jaune was stunned by the strike, Weiss grabbed his hand and made another symbol. She hooked her foot behind his and brought him to a knee. She kicked him in the stomach, then the face, and then backflipped off his shoulder. While in the air Weiss spit out a massive fireball.**

"From Ice-Queen to Fire-Queen?" Yang asked.

"I though fire was your thing," Mercury nudged Cinder.

"It is," Cinder grit her teeth, "No one bites my style!"

 **Jaune narrowly avoided the blast, she fired again, and he dodged it again, she fired a third time and Jaune leapt into the air. Jaune used his aura to secure himself to the statue. He tried to make a hand sign of his own, but a kunai tied to a wire was flung at his hands. He broke the hand sign as a kunai hit under his arm. On the end of the wire was Weiss, she attacked Jaune again. He tried again to make the hand sign, but Weiss kicked his hands apart. She had to keep up the assault to keep Jaune's hands apart. Jaune blocked her punches and backed away from her. He tried for the hand sign again, Weiss knocked his hands above his head, and delivered two quick jabs to his chest. She tried kicking again, but Jaune blocked her strikes. She pushed one hand away and jabbed his face twice. Jaune punched, Weiss went under his arm, and pushed him back. She poised to strike, Jaune raised his hands to block her punch, but at the last-minute Weiss changed from a punch to a kick and knocked Jaune off the statue. As he was falling he was finally able to complete the hand sign, now there were four Jaunes.**

"Oh, so now he bites my style?!" Sun exclaimed.

"Hey that's my style too!" Blake shoved Sun.

"So, this is the universe where everyone has someone else's semblance?" Nora asked, "Ooooh, I wonder who's semblance in this one?"

"They fight a lot like you Ren," Ruby pointed out.

"Interesting," Ren observed, "I wonder what else is similar in this universe."

 **One landed on the water, he jumped up grabbed two Jaunes and threw them at Weiss. He grabbed the next by his ankles and threw him as well. Weiss dodged the first one, kicked the second one away, threw the second one away, but while her back was turned the last one tackled her, and they began rolling up the statue. Once in the air, Jaune threw Weiss into the statue so hard she made a crater. She had no time to recover as Jaune was flying toward her with a ball of concentrated aura in each hand. The first Jaune impacted the ground with an explosion. The clones had one in each hand as well, Weiss had to fight each one of them off all while trying not to get hit by them. Weiss' silver eye glowed as her reflexes enhanced. She punched one clone, uppercut another, and quickly jumped back when the other two joined the fray. She jumped on one of them, balancing on his head as she did a perfect split kicking the other two into the ground. She jumped in front of the one she was balancing on and uppercut him as well. Another Jaune came flying in with a headbutt, Weiss blocked and with her enhanced reflexes she kicked him behind her. That's when Weiss' purple eye began to glow. The Jaunes knew what was coming so they all jumped back. It didn't help them as Weiss dropped into a stance, extended her arms out, and with an unknown force pulled all the Jaunes toward her.**

" **Inferno Style: Honoikazuchi!" A phalanx of black fire surrounded Weiss and impaled all the Jaunes.**

"Whoa," Cinder gasped, "I gotta try that!"

"Hey, wait," Pyrrha pointed, "That's the same Purple eye that Jaune had when he destroyed Vale isn't it?"

"It has the same abilities," Oobleck went over his notes, "At least the pulling, but this one has the tome in them. It might have different abilities too."

"Are we not at all concerned that Weiss just impaled Jaune?" Nora asked.

"I bet she wants to every time she asks her out," Yang chuckled.

Weiss opened her mouth to object, but Yang was right, and she turned her attention back to the movie.

 **The original Jaune however was holding onto one of the spikes of fire with orange aura in the shape of a grimm claw. Two more formed behind him and executed a double handed axe strike. There was a massive cloud of dust with that attack, Weiss used it to escape and jump back. The orange aura flashed for a brief second. Jaune's jacket, shoes, and hair turned orange. His pupils turned into a cross while his irises turned orange as well. Four black orbs formed on his back and floated behind him.**

"Now THAT'S interesting," Ozpin leaned forward, "I've never seen aura physically effect someone like that."

"It took the shape of a grimm claw," Ruby pointed out, "You don't think…?"

"Not possible," Pyrrha shook her head, "Grimm don't have souls."

"But earlier he specifically said: "Tailed Grimm," Ruby repeated, "Could that mean that they have souls?"

"Quite the conundrum," Port stroked his mustache, "I've never heard of a grimm with a soul, but then again, nothing about today makes sense anymore."

 **An aura arm shot out from the smoke aimed at Weiss. She jumped up to doge it. Rather than turn to catch her, a whole new arm grew from the first one. Jaune used his other arm to send two more at her. She kept dodging, once they began to retreat, Weiss took a deep breath and spit out another fireball. It cut through the aura arms and went directly for Jaune. He focused his aura and used only one giant hand to hold off the fireball. Weiss then swapped places with one of his black orbs.**

" **Her left eye is…" Jaune gasped as a lightning bolt was formed in her hand and he was thrown back into the water.**

"Fire and lightning?" Yang looked over to Weiss, "Did you just eat all the dust you load into your sword?"

Weiss scoffed at Yang's jokes, "Can we get back to the movie please?"

"Fine," Yang raised her arms in defense, "Elemental Queen."

Weiss felt her lips curling, _Queen of the Elements? Anything's better than Ice-Queen I suppose._

 **Jaune regained his footing with something else hit the water sending him flying. He gasped when his vision came back and he saw half of a blue knight's armor at the top of the statue firing arrows at him. Three arrows were coming at him, so he used his three orbs to block the arrows. They landed in the water causing a huge splash. Charging through it was now the full suit of armor, with blue wings, and a sword in each hand.**

"Your summoning is impressive," Winter was pleased with what she was seeing.

"If only that were my summoning," Weiss held her head in shame.

"Have you ever tried?" Winter glanced at her sister.

"Of course!" Weiss replied louder than she should have.

"So that's a no," Raven chuckled to herself.

"Big time," Qrow agreed.

 **The orange aura surrounded Jaune and exploded. It seemed to be taking shape, it shot out, and knocked one of the swords from Weiss' hand. The sword flew outside the valley and carved the very landscape with its impact. Weiss went for a punch and she was met with another fist. Once the water cleared it was revealed that an orange fox with nine tails was standing were Jaune was. Jaune was inside the head of the fox, while Weiss was inside the head of the knight. The screen was enveloped in a white light. Weiss was laying in her room staring at the ceiling. Cobwebs growing over the dishes, she was alone. Jaune was on a swing in front of a school, he was also alone. A child version of Weiss sat on the edge of a dock while the adult Jaune was standing above her. Behind them, adult Weiss watched a child Jaune walk past her. The children looked at each other and scowled, quickly breaking eye contact and resuming their business. While the adult versions watched the children. Weiss screamed, Jaune screamed, and the battle continued.**

"What was that?" Ruby was thoroughly confused.

"It was them in the past," Blake explained.

"Well, obviously," Ruby scoffed, "But what was the purpose of that?"

"If Jaune had approached me then," Weiss answered with an almost wishful tone, "Maybe we wouldn't be fighting now."

" **How the hell do you think you understand?" A teenage Weiss with her silver and black tome eyes was pinned to the rocks by a teenage Jaune with red grimm-like eyes, "You've been alone from the start! It's because I have these ties, that I feel this agony. How could you possibly understand what it feels like to lose all that?!" Weiss kicked him off, and it transitioned to the nine-tailed fox flying back colliding with the wall. Jaune wasn't given a moment to recover as Weiss spit more fireballs at him. He took to the air and the fireballs followed. He them made a beeline for Weiss, dodging the fireballs, deflecting them with his tails, until he collided with her. Weiss summoned another sword, attacked with both, but Jaune blocked with his tails. The force from the strike still carved the mountains behind him.**

"By the gods," Port watched the battle unfold, "They certainly aren't holding-back are they?"

"One of them isn't," Raven knew the signs of combat.

" **What's the matter?" Weiss asked pressing the swords deeper into Jaune's tails, "Are you just going to keep playing defense?"**

"See?" Raven asked.

 **With a roar Jaune forced Weiss off him. He wrapped his tails around her ankles and slammed her into the water. Red and Blue aura formed a giant purple ball in Jaune's mouth right above Weiss. Only he didn't fire, using his hesitation Weiss's hand was covered in lightning, she summoned a lightning dragon from the skies to attack and bite Jaune's neck. Weiss teleported away as the dragon exploded. Weiss watched from the skies as Jaune dragged himself out of the water.**

" **If you keep stalling, you'll die," Weiss stated.**

" **I don't wanna kill you," Jaune stood up inside the fox.**

" **To me, you've become my closest friend," the teenage Weiss spoke**

" **You're trying to be alone again, and I can't let that happen!" Jaune defied, "Especially since we both know what that's like…that's why I can't let you…" Another purple orb was formed in front of Jaune's mouth. The knight's hand was covered in lightning again, "Go there…" the charged at each other, "Intentionally!"**

 **When the two forces met the resulting explosion was huge to say the very least. The forest and surrounding mountains crumbled away like twigs. Even the audience in the theater felt the tremendous force blow back at them.**

"Still think he's holding back?" Glynda asked.

"I know he is," Raven nodded.

"He won't risk hurting Weiss," Pyrrha shook her head.

"He won't make any progress if he keeps holding back," Raven shrugged.

"Says you," Pyrrha scoffed.

" **Quit yapping," Weiss scoffed as they floated before one another in a golden plane, "We're both different from the two kids who fought here long ago. I know your heart and you, mine."**

" **But you still want to fight me?" Jaune asked.**

" **All the more because it is you," Weiss answered, "I have to cut you out of my life."**

" **There's no guarantee that the world you'll rebuild after severing the past won't end up like this one, you know," Jaune explained.**

" **That's exactly why I'll continue to watch over that world so that it doesn't," Weiss countered.**

" **You're missing the point!" Jaune yelled, "The Four Kingdoms are finally united!"**

" **Yeah," Weiss nodded, "But that's only because they found a common enemy. To defeat the Akatsuki, Salem, Kaguya, the Four Kingdoms had no choice but to discard their grudges and form an alliance in order to survive. But their mutual foes are now gone. Eventually, the conflicts between each kingdom will rise again."**

" **So this time, you're gonna become the enemy?" Jaune asked, "And? What'll happen after you're gone?"**

" **Finally, after all the dots have been connected and formed a straight line," Weiss explained, "I started with Silver Eyes and now, I possess the power of the Rinnegan. Reincarnation, immortality, I have many options. I'll also be able to control things from the shadows, instead of through battle.**

" **You're planning to return to that hell, for the rest of your life, or rather the rest of eternity?" Jaune asked, "While being hated by all?"**

" **To me," Weiss nodded, "That's what a Headmistress ought to be. Jaune glare intensified and suddenly they were back in the real world, "That's not even close enough to kill me."**

" **I told you!" Jaune yelled, "I'm not trying to kill you! I'm-"**

" **Enough," Weiss stopped him. She made a hand sign and pulled eight meteors behind her, "I am the strongest in the world right now. So right now, right here will be my first step into the shadows." Aura came flowing out of the meteors and into Weiss.**

" **This is bad," a giant fox was sitting behind Jaune, "She's merging all the aura that's been scattered into one, and doing it unbelievably well too, al most unrivaled. She's almost as good as the Old Wizard, only she's doing the reverse. There's no Gedo Statue here, so she's making her knight the receiving vessel. Something incredible to going to emerge! Don't drop your guard Jaune!"**

"I was right," Ruby nodded.

"About?" Cinder asked.

"The fairy tale goes that the Old Wizard divided his powers to the four sisters, right?" Ruby asked, "So, that can only mean that they are able to return to one host. With all that power, the Tailed Grimm can't be too hard to consume right?"

"Interesting theory Ruby," Cinder leaned back and thought it over.

"Grimm that have a soul and can talk," Raven drank, "Now, I've seen everything."

 **When Weiss normally summons her knight, it's a hollow suit of armor. Now using the aura, she just gathered, it made a makeshift human to go inside the armor. With a staff this time instead of a sword. Jaune grit his teeth and summoned four more foxes to fight by his side.**

" **That technique again?" Weiss shook her head, "Jaune, that technique symbolizes your weakness. That's right, it's a technique that covers up your loneliness!"**

"How so?" Ruby asked.

"He doesn't have any friends," Sun gained looks from everyone, "So he makes his own, but they're literal extensions of himself. So, he still doesn't have any friends."

 **Weiss teleported in between them and sent one crashing to earth. Three attacked at once and she blocked them all. One with her staff, one with her elbow, and the last one with her hand. The one blocked by the staff forced it out of her hand while the other two restrained her arms. The fourth attacked with his tails and punched her. Except his hand literally melted against her helmet. Weiss forced the two restraining her to collide with each other, freeing her arms. She summoned another staff and amputated the arm of the fox in front of her. She kicked the armless one back to earth and threw her staff into its skull. Using the staff as a beacon, a bolt of lightning consumed the fox. The remaining foxes charged up a tailed beast bomb each and fired simultaneously. Weiss changed her staff into a bow and fired three arrows. Her arrows pierced through the bombs and hit Jaune. Two of the foxes were missing their right arm and half their face, the last one was only missing his left.**

" **You only hold a little piece of each tailed beast and maiden's aura," Weiss boasted, "You can't win against me now. Nor this…" Weiss focused all of her aura into this one arrow. It was almost as big as her, massive lightning bolts danced around her.**

" **Not yet?!" Jaune screamed, "Kurama?!"**

 **On the ground was the first fox Weiss threw down. He was in a meditative stance and his tails were twice the size then they normally were.**

" **I might have amassed too much, in fact," Kurama spoke, "This is everything there is available! Here it comes!" Kurama exploded and sent all the nature energy he had to Jaune.**

" **Here it comes," Jaune braced himself as the power flowed into him. The three clones merged together forming one being with three faces and six arms.**

"What is that?!" Pyrrha yelled.

"That is a symbol used by many extinct cultures around the world," Ren and Blake explained, "I think it has more significance in this universe, because in ours we don't have anything like it here."

"At least not anymore," Ren mumbled.

" **I can feel it," Weiss watched Jaune with interest, "How did he gain so much Nature Energy so suddenly?"**

" **Let's do this!" Kurama cried.**

" **Yeah!" Jaune agreed stretching out his arms.**

 **In the right three hands was a golden orb of concentrated aura with blades spinning wildly around it. In his left was a purple one with the same wildly spinning blades.**

" **You finally decided to kill me huh?" Weiss asked.**

" **We've taken on a lot of responsibilities upon out shoulders," Jaune lowered his arms, thinking back to Beacon Academy when Weiss laid him out in just one strike, "But you see, I…" he thought back to Beacon again,** _ **"I want to fight you too."**_ **Weiss said to him finally recognizing his growth, "I wanna fight, and win against you fair and square! But not against the current you! You already know that don't you Weiss?!" Jaune threw the orbs at Weiss, she fired her massive arrow.**

 _ **This fight with you right now, will be my last,**_ **Weiss thought to herself as her arrow flew across the sky,** _ **Indra's Arrow, Currently the most powerful technique in my arsenal. So just die. Just be gone already!**_

 **The current explosion was a mixture of colors. The first red ball blew away the clouds before it shifted to purple, then orange, then blue, before finally exploding in pure white. The audience had to cover their eyes and brace themselves in their seat. The powerful explosion transcended dimensions. The statues' heads were destroyed, and the landscape was something else entirely now.**

"HOLY SHIT!" the students yelled.

"That was something," Raven fell out of her chair, "Now, I'm getting entertained."

"What was that?" Ruby peaked her head over the seat in front of her.

"The Almighty Scream," Ozpin fixed his glasses, "The Scream of the Gods."

"What?" everyone looked at Ozpin.

"Long ago," Ozpin began, "When the Dark Brother first created the Grimm, he started to laugh. When the Light Brother saw what his brother's creations were doing, he began to weep. Their combined cries shattered and reformed the world as we know it. His tears became the ocean, and his laughter became the wind."

 **Weiss and Jaune were now falling from the sky, Weiss' suit of armor and Kurama were orbs that shielded them from the impact before finally disappearing. Weiss coughed and rolled over to see Jaune kneeling on the other side of the now tiny river.**

" **Damn it," Weiss dragged herself to her knees, "You're not-!"**

 **Jaune made a hand sign right as Kurama began speaking, "Jaune! If my Nature Energy didn't make it to you in time, you'd have been blown away just now! And your aura's already long been drained from-"**

" **Amaterasu!" Weiss' Rinnegan eye began to bleed. Jaune's arm was coated in black fire. But at the last second Kurama put up a protective red aura that fell to the ground along with the fire, "Only a diversion, huh? I can't actually take him down with this, I need the Tailed Beasts and the Maidens." Weiss grabbed her left eye, "I've used too much aura, can't maintain control! At this rate, I can't use my left eye's abilities either!"**

 **Jaune ran up to Weiss and kicked her in the air. The rocks next to her transformed into Jaune and kicked her more into the air. Jaune jumped to her level and Weiss used her silver eye to enhance her reflexes again, but that only managed to land a punch on Jaune as he was punching her. They rolled on the land on opposite sides of each other. Three clones where chasing after Weiss as she rolled, she tore off the sleeve of her right arm revealing a band with a strange symbol on it. In a cloud of smoke three shuriken appeared, Weiss electrically charged them and threw them at the clones. While they were stunned she charged her left hand with lightning, she stuck two of them down but the last one grabbed her arm and held her in place as the original Jaune came up from behind and punched her. Jaune summoned a ball of aura and went running up to Weiss. The lightning in her hand died, she gasped as Jaune came barreling toward her. Until he tripped…**

"Un…" Nora.

"Fucking…" Pyrrha.

"Believable," Ren.

Team RWBY tried to hold in their laughter, but some snorts and snickers made their way through. The staff stared wide eyed at the scene before them, Jaune had such a lead, and then he literally falls flat on his face. Cinder and her team however didn't hold anything back and their laughter filled the air.

 **While he was on the ground Weiss came running up and kicked him so hard he flipped onto his back. She straddled him, Jaune grabbed her face, but it was no use as Weiss punched him in the face, and she continued to do so while she was on top of him. Jaune's left eye was swollen shut, he grabbed her collar, headbutted her, and finally kicked her off him.**

Their laughs soon died down once the brutality of the scene settled in their minds. Ruby covered her ears; the sounds of bones crunching was too much for her. Weiss had her eyes glued to the screen, Jaune constantly asked for her hand, surely, he couldn't bring himself to do any real harm to her, right? Blake was unfortunately falling into her stereotype, she was curious if she went that far, would her teammates do the same thing? Yang was impressed, she heard that an Arc never goes back on his word, in her mind actions spoke louder, and his were deafening.

Nora had faith, she knew her Fearless Leader wouldn't really harm Weiss. Pyrrha smiled at her Partner's determination to bring his friend home. Ren was a little disappointed the restraint and discipline of his home's fighting style had devolved into this brutality, but the situation demanded it.

" **Give it up already," Weiss dragged herself up and charged at Jaune.**

" **JAUNE!"**

" **WEISS!"**

 **Weiss punched his face. Jaune punched her stomach. Weiss delivered a left hook to his face again. Jaune punched her floating rib. Weiss uppercut him. Jaune punched her stomach causing her to cough up blood. Jaune blocked her right punch but he was too exhausted to block her left swing. Jaune coughed up a mouthful of blood before uppercutting Weiss. She ran up and punched him in the face again. Jaune did the same his knuckles coated in her blood. Weiss kicked him in the stomach. Jaune punched her in the face this time. Both let out a battle cry. Weiss blocked Jaune's punch to her side, but not his uppercut knocking her to the ground. Once she got up he delivered a flying knee. Weiss punched Jaune in the face again, followed by a kick to the face. Jaune punched Weiss in the face this time. Weiss elbowed him in the sternum. Then kneed him in the same place. Jaune spit out a tooth. Weiss reeled back her fist and punched the child Jaune onto the ground.**

"Please stop fighting!" Ruby cried.

"They aren't going to stop," Adam shook his head, "Not until the other falls."

"They don't have to," Ruby sniffed.

"Yes they do," Adam sighed, "As unfortunate as it may be, they're not going to."

" **Damn it!" Jaune cursed as Weiss pinned him to the ground.**

" **Weiss Wins!" Glynda announced, "Alright both of you make the Unison Sign."**

 **Weiss got off Jaune and began to walk away.**

" **Not even a nod of acknowledgement?!" Jaune yelled from the ground, "You bitch! I've got to get this off my chest! You turd! No, you hard, drippy turd!" Before Jaune could make anymore insults Glynda punched Jaune on the top of the head, "Ouch!"**

" **I told you that the hunters Kumite is a time-honored and sacred tradition!" Glynda scolded, "Now, make the Unison Sign now!"**

 **Weiss and Jaune walked over to one another, but instead of making the Unison Sign their hands reached for their collars. Velvet snapped awake at the memory.**

" **You're finally awake," Port was sitting next to her.**

" **It's dusk already," Velvet watched the sun begin to set, "Where are Jaune and Weiss?"**

" **They're currently fighting their final battle in order to settle things for good," Port answered her. Velvet's eyes widened before they turned to ones of sadness.**

"Well they weren't part of a team," Coco snorted.

"A team of three?" Ozpin asked, "Three students and a huntsman, I guess it could work."

"Not everything has to be a clever name," Raven rolled her eyes, "Instead of sending four teenagers on a mission, sending three and a professional? Maybe, just fucking maybe you wouldn't be the worst headmaster ever, of all time!"

"Damn," Qrow was taken back, "Tell us how you really feel…"

 **Back in the Ruined Valley, Jaune and Weiss were still trading blow for bloody blow with one another. This time they were both missing each other and kept landing in the water. Jaune placed his fist on her forehead, Weiss placed hers in his stomach. Her Rinnegan eye was swollen shut, and her silver eye had returned to its original icy blue. They both fell to their knees in the river. Jaune's Beacon headband had slid off into the water.**

" **Hang in there!" Kurama was in a meditative pose, "It's not much but I've finished infusing some more aura, huh?"**

 **Jaune looked down and saw Weiss draining aura from Jaune and feeding off it herself.**

" **This is one of the abilities of the Rinnegan," Weiss watched Jaune fall into the water, "As someone who possesses the Silver Eyes, my victory is inevitable."**

 **Weiss stood up and summoned more lightning into her hand, "Now…Now, I can finally be alone! Farewell," Weiss activated her Silver Eye, "My one and only friend!" she went for the kill. Jaune looked at his head band and saw his eye's reflection, he looked up and saw Weiss' silver eye fade away. He used the opening to deliver one more uppercut, sending her flying into the canyon wall. Jaune fell back to his knees, this fight had pushed him WELL BEYOND his limits.**

" **That was a great counter!" Kurama praised, "You didn't miss the fact that her Visual Prowess is weakened!"**

 **Jaune picked up his head band and put it in his back pocket.**

" **Over," Weiss dragged herself out of the crater she was in, "Over and over and over and over and over and," Weiss began to punch the wall, "Over and over and over over again! Just give up and let me cut you down!"**

 **Jaune chuckled, "Can't do that. 'Cuz I'm your one and only friend!"**

 **Weiss scowled, she took a deep breath, and on her exhale her silver eye activated and her palm was charged with lightning once again.**

" **I figured as much," Kurama watched, "She's assimilated the aura I created and infused for you and made it her own." They examined the lightning and saw black flames dancing with the lightning, "And with flame control, she intends to finish this with one last blast! Listen, I'm giving you what remains of my own aura. Once I do that, it's gonna put me to sleep. Don't unleash your power until the last minute, so she doesn't absorb more aura from you. Well, not that she can use her newly awakened Rinnegan to absorb aura while she's putting out her own techniques…" Kurama stopped talking when he saw the smile on Jaune's face. He smiled too, and they shared a fist bump.**

" **Who are you to be so confident when you couldn't even save Weiss?" Kurama had a flashback to when he and Jaune didn't particularly get along.**

" **I've never given up," Jaune explained, "Once you give up, it's over. I will save Weiss, and I'm coming after all that hate inside you too, someday!"**

 _ **Now go,**_ **Kurama watched Jaune walk away,** _ **You're the one and only for us too…that's why Weiss is…**_ **Kurama fell asleep.**

"Is?" Weiss leaned forward, "Is what?! Come on don't leave it there you damn fox!"

"Calm down Elemental-Queen!" Yang shushed her, "It's finally getting to the good part!"

"But…but…I wanna know," Weiss pouted.

 **Jaune looked up at Weiss, there was a leaf dancing in the wind. The moment it hit the water, was the moment Jaune and Weiss leapt at each other. Jaune raised his hand and saw Qrow's hand giving him aura. Soon everyone was giving him aura, Ruby, Blake, Yang, Nora, Ren, Pyrrha, Team CFVY, Team BRNZ, Team NDGO, Team SSSN, even the staff members of Beacon. On Weiss' side they saw only one hand assisting her, the hand of her sister.**

 **They let out one final scream as both shifted past stages of their lives until that moment. Their attacks collided creating an explosion of multiple colors, completely destroying what was left of the valley enveloping in them and the screen in a bright white light.**

"If this is another fake out I'm going to be pissed," Blake growled.

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha turned around.

"Every time there's an explosion the screen is completely filled making us think the movie is over," Blake explained.

"Do you want it to end?" Ozpin asked.

"Do YOU want to continue to see two of your students literally beat each other to death?" Blake asked.

" **Jaune," Weiss' voice was heard, "Just disappear already and take our bond along with you!"**

"GODDAMN IT!" Blake yelled.

" **Weiss wins!" Glynda announced again, "Alright you two, make the Unison Sign."**

 **Weiss backed off away from Jaune and they scowled at each other. They stepped closer their scowls never fading. They only seemed to intensify as they raised their hands. Instead of making the sign, they grabbed each other's collar.**

" **You want a piece of me you dolt?!" Weiss screamed. Glynda tried braking them up when the scene turned monochrome and it revealed Weiss and Jaune watching the whole thing.**

" **What is this?" Weiss asked.**

"Wait?" Ruby held up her hand, "Now, we're watching a movie about Jaune watching a movie? Ow, my head hurts…"

" **Weiss," it was a different scene now. They were under a bridge this time, "If you and I fight, we'll both die."**

 **Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip.**

" **Am I dead?" Weiss asked as they stood in their old Beacon training grounds.**

" **This sensation," Jaune and Weiss were back to back on their first real mission, "It must be…" now they were in a hallway where Weiss' lightning tore through the wall and two doors before exploding outwards, "Probably." They where on the rooftop of a hospital where they had fought once long ago.**

 **Weiss took a few steps away and they were overlooking Vale at night, "Pitiful, isn't it?" Jaune joined her and watched their child versions begin surrounded by both human and faunus. Only their bodies were black, and they had red eyes. "You had the Nine Tails, and I was a Schnee. We were ostracized from the city and treated like outcasts. And we resented the city and its people. Right?"**

"Is that why the people look like grimm?" Ruby asked.

"To them," Ilia thought back to her days in Atlas, "The people were just as bad as any grimm."

 **Jaune watched his younger self scream and run away in tears.**

" **I won't let you say I'm wrong," the younger Weiss told Jaune.**

" **You called me your sister," the older Weiss spoke to Jaune, "In that sense, perhaps we were."**

" **You're totally wrong!" the scene changed to the docks at twilight, "Damn it, you don't understand, do you?" Jaune shoved past her and ran away. Jaune was swinging as Weiss stood next to him.**

" **I'm sorry Granny Glynda," Jaune held his head in shame, "I promised, I wouldn't die, until I became Headmaster." Weiss gasped as looked over at Beacon tower. When Jaune shot up raven like a lunatic, "Oh yeah! The Infinite Tsukuyomi! This is bad! They can't Release Spell can't be activated without us being there, right?!"**

 **Weiss chuckled and put her hands on her hips, "You're dead, and you're worried about what happens to the rest of the world?"**

" **Of course!" Jaune answered, "We can't just leave it like that!"**

" **Velvet and Port still remain," Weiss looked back at Jaune, "They'll figure something out."**

" **I hope so," Jaune cradled his right arm. He gasped and held his arm tight.**

" **Jaune!" Weiss yelled as the screen cut to black.**

Blake was growling, Kali and Ghira were trying to calm their daughter and her anger towards fake outs.

 **Drip. Weiss looked in that direction, and when she looked back Jaune was gone. She looked around for him before looking back at Beacon Tower, "Headmaster huh?"**

 **Child Weiss was now on Winter's back as she walked, "Pretty soon, Big Sister, they might make you Headmistress of Beacon!"**

 **Winter stopped startling Weiss. Then she disappeared dropping her entirely.**

" **Big Sister?" child Weiss looked around. That's when the horrors came rushing back to her. Winter standing over the corpses of their parents. Weiss trying to attack Winter, but her ultimately failing in the most humiliating way. Their final fight, Weiss was lying on the ground in the rain.**

" **Forgive me, Weiss," she pressed two fingers to her forehead, "This is it."**

 **The undead Winter pressed her forehead to Weiss', "And no matter what you do from here on out, know this: I will love you always."**

" **Big Sister," Weiss closed her eyes, "I'll be seeing you soon."**

Weiss didn't care about regal appearances at that moment. She couldn't believe she had killed her sister in this universe. She curled into Winter with misty eyes. Winter was still having a hard time believing in the Multiverse Theory, but she could see the effect it was having on her sister. Especially if she really did witness her older sister slaughter her family.

 **Weiss opened her eyes to the night sky.**

" **Finally come to huh?" Jaune asked.**

 **Weiss looked over to Jaune and felt unyielding pain scream across her body.**

" **As you can see," Jaune explained, "If either of us moves too much, we'll bleed out and die."**

" **Why would you go that far?" Weiss asked, "Why do all that just to get in my way? I gained the power to enter the darkness, and sever all bonds and naturally, everyone's tried to cut their ties to me as well, at some point. But you…you've never attempted to cut me off."**

" **The only one who can handle all of that hatred is me!" Flashback Jaune yelled.**

" **Why do you keep involving yourself with me?" Weiss asked.**

 **Jaune smiled, "You already know, don't you? Now that your body can't move, your mouth sure is moving a lot…"**

" **Just answer me!" Weiss snapped.**

 **Jaune rolled his head over to look at her, "Cuz you're my friend."**

 **Weiss thought back to all of their fights, the reasoning was always the same with him. She sighed, "I've heard that before. But what exactly does that mean to you anyway?"**

" **You ask me to explain it," Jaune sighed, "But I can't really put it into words. It's just that, when I see you take on stuff and get all messed up…It kinda hurts me. It hurts so much inside, that I can't just leave it alone, y'know? Though right now, I'm in a lot of pain all over, and I can't do anything about it."**

"You dolt," Weiss rubbed her eyes.

"Finally," Ruby wiped her tears, "They're done fighting."

"Are they?" Cinder asked.

 _ **Jaune,**_ **Weiss thought to herself,** _ **I knew you were always alone back then. The city shunned you just as the did with me, The Lone Schnee Survivor. You intentionally did stupid things to get scolded, most likely to get people's attention. In the beginning, I thought you were a good for nothing. A weakling who just constantly wanted to goof around. But the more I watched you being idiotic and getting scolded over and over…for some reason it started weighing on my mind. I thought back then, that your weakness was gradually rubbing off on me. Then, every time I'd see you, I'd think about you more and more. Seeing you desperately trying to bond with others…made me remember my own family. I don't know why, but I felt relief. But at the same time, I considered it a weakness. I trained as if to escape the weakness. In order to get my revenge on my sister, to become stronger than her. And yet…I ended up on the same team as you. And I began thinking about my family again. I went on missions with you as you jabbered on and on about becoming Headmaster…I saw how both of us were getting stronger…and one day, I started to feel the desire to fight you too. I began to see a shadow of my own family in our team. That's why every time I saw you suffering…that's right…I felt it…I felt pain too. When I understood your hurt, I finally saw you as a comrade. But on the other hand…I couldn't leave you alone. You were getting stronger and stronger. Watching you steadily get stronger…I…**_

" **I knew that you were always alone," Jaune in another flashback spoke, "I wanted to walk over and start talking. I'd get sort of giddy. But I stopped myself. I was jealous because you were good at everything. So I made you my rival. You've been my goal. I had nothing, and I found a bond. I wanted to be strong and cool like you. That's why I kept chasing after you."**

 _ **It was the opposite,**_ **Weiss corrected,** _ **In reality, I was the one who was jealous of you. Because you had a strength that I didn't. you were always walking in front of me. Just like my later Big Sister. And…even today…**_

" **I'll let you deal with Weiss," the undead Winter spoke to Jaune in another flashback.**

" **That was my plan from the start!" Jaune nodded.**

" **Entrusting it to you was the right thing to do, after all," Winter smiled.**

"Is that true Weiss?" Winter whispered.

"Not our Jaune," Weiss answered, then she thought about it more, "Maybe our Jaune too. He's always fighting to overcome his weaknesses…"

"Sounds like an interesting boy," Winter smiled, "I'd be very interested in meeting the real one."

 _ **These are…Jaune's memories!**_

" **My dream is to surpass even the Headmaster!" Jaune boasted, "And that's why I'm going to make everyone in the village acknowledge me! I have to be ready…I'm going to be called the Headmaster, someone that everyone acknowledges. There is no such thing as a shortcut! Quit messing around, ill never run away! I will make it! Even if it means I stay a civilian for the rest of my life, I'll become the Headmaster. So I don't care! An Arc never goes back on their word! I'm different from you. I'm absolutely become Headmaster. Becoming the Headmaster is my dream. I won't die, until I become the Headmaster! I'm gonna become the Headmaster to surpass all the previous ones! That's my dream, you idiot! The Headmaster is someone who endures the pain and takes the lead in front of everyone. So a Headmaster never walks over his comrades' corpses. There is no shortcut to becoming Headmaster! And there are no ways out for the one who becomes Headmaster! No way a guy who can't even save one friend becomes Headmaster. Isn't that right Weiss?"**

 **Weiss watched over every single memory,** _ **Jaune, how far…have you?**_

" **No matter how strong you become," Winter's voice immediately grabbed Weiss' attention, "Don't try to shoulder everything alone. You share your father's dream, don't you? Then don't ever forget…becoming Headmaster doesn't mean people will acknowledge you. But when the people acknowledge you, you can become Headmaster. Never forget your friends!"**

" **Bis sister," Weiss was a child again, and Winter tapped her forehead with two fingers. Weiss recoiled then saw Winter in a robe with red clouds.**

 **Winter faded away and Jaune was standing there. Then Glynda. Then Port and Velvet. Teams SSSN, BRNZ, NDGO, CFVY. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren. The Other Three Kingdoms. The Tailed Beasts and the Four Maidens. Everyone was behind Jaune, while Weiss stood alone. Until she saw herself with the Rinnegan standing next to Jaune.**

 **For the first time, Weiss looked sad, "I see…then…show me…"**

 **Drip, Drip, Drip.**

"So does that mean?" Nora brightened up.

"I believe it does," Ren smiled.

"What?" Weiss asked, "What does what mean?!"

"It means you finally pulled your head from your ass!" Nora cheered, but everyone groaned at the phrasing…

" **Where are we?" Jaune stirred awake, "don't tell me this is really Heaven this time?"**

" **Looks like we fell asleep and slept until morning," Weiss said with a smile, "We failed to die again.**

" **Damn it!" Jaune strained, "I still can't move! I was hoping to punch you hard and make you finally open your eyes!"**

 **Weiss chuckled before evolving into full blown laughter.**

" **W-What is it?" Jaune was confused.**

" **We're messed up like this and you still wanna fight?" Weiss asked.**

" **DAMN RIGHT!" Jaune snapped, "No matter how many times it takes!"**

" **I admit it," Weiss cut him off before he could start rambling, "I've lost." Her smile seemed to grow as she said it.**

" **YOU IDIOT!" Jaune screamed, "THIS FIGHT ISN'T ABOUT WINNING OR LOSING! IT'S ABOUT PUNCHING A SULKING FRIEND, TO MAKE HER SNAP OUT OF IT! THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT! THE REAL MATCH THAT I WANT, COMES AFTER THAT!"**

" **Hey Jaune," Weiss said.**

" **EH?!" Jaune snapped.**

" **I just acknowledged you," Weiss smiled, "If I die here, the long cycle of destiny the Old Wizard mentioned will probably end as well. This is…a kind of revolution too. You can release the Infinite Tsukuyomi after I'm dead, by transplanting my eye into someone else. I'll put an end to it myself."**

" **By dying?" Jaune asked, "Don't think dying will settle this! If you're willing to die, then live and help me instead. What I want is to make all Hunters cooperate with each other, and that definitely includes you!"**

" **Just because you want that doesn't mean others will agree to it," Weiss rolled her head to look at Jaune.**

" **DAMN IT!" Jaune scoffed, "If you keep whining and sulking, I'll slug you again!**

" **There's no guarantee I won't stand against you again," Weiss was stubborn.**

" **Then I'll stop you again!" Jaune declared, "Besides, I know you're not going to do that kinda thing anymore."**

" **How can you be so sure?" Weiss asked.**

" **Don't make me repeat myself!" Jaune glared the best he could with his black eye, "Haven't you figured it out yet?! Now that I think about it…you were always pretty stupid too…" Jaune looked over to see tears running down Weiss' cheeks. He decided to stop talking.**

 **Drip, Drip, Drip.**

 **The camera zoomed out finally revealing what the dripping was. It was their blood coming from their stumps where their arms used to be. The trail connected them, looking as if they were holding hands.**

Weiss grabbed her left hand making sure it was still there. She looked down and suddenly felt new appreciation for her limb.

"Holy shit," Yang gasped, "A little extreme don't you think?"

"I mean it kinda makes sense," Blake shrugged, "They went all out in that last attack, they're lucky they just lost an arm rather than dying themselves."

"Still though," Yang shuddered.

"Technically they both fell," Adam chuckled, "Guess you were right Ruby. Maybe they didn't have to after all."

"Will that work for you?" Ilia whispered to Adam.

 **Velvet and Port were flying through the trees trying to reach them as fast as they could. They reached the edge of the canyon and saw that the statues hands had formed the Unison Sign under their bodies.**

" **There they are!" Velvet pointed.**

" **It figures they'd be here," Port sighed.**

 **Velvet leapt off the cliff and ran to them. She stopped and gasped when she saw the stumps where their arms should be. She was hesitant at first, but she started to heal their wounds.**

Coco looked at Velvet, "Can you heal people?"

"No," Velvet shook her head, "Come one, you know my semblance Coco."

"Still," Coco squinted, "We've been through some pretty rough scrapes and could really have used a healer."

" **Thanks, Velvet," Jaune smiled.**

" **Velvet," Weiss strained, "Never mind me…"**

" **Stay quiet now," Velvet ordered, "I need to concentrate."**

" **I'm sorry," Weiss apologized.**

" **Sorry?" Velvet asked, "Sorry for what?"**

" **For everything," Weiss said.**

" **You should be," Velvet began to shake, "Really…you…" she began to cry, "Damned idiot."**

 **Port watched from the cliffside and thought back to when he first met those three. Jaune's smile, Velvet's concern, and Weiss' calm demeanor. He watched the two sit up and began talking and he saw those traits again, "She's finally back."**

 _ **Jaune,**_ **Weiss watched him talk to Velvet,** _ **I've been thinking about what you said to me. When we were together you wondered if it was how having a brother would feel… Now, finally…I think I know what you meant.**_

 **The Infinite Tsukuyomi was falling apart freeing its prisoners. Jaune and Weiss watched as all around the world everyone trapped was freed. Even the meteors containing the Tailed Beasts and the Four Maidens were freed.**

 _ **I felt how my mother, father, and sister Winter suffered. In that same way…Jaune…I'm sure I will start to feel your pain and your emotions…you never cut me off. You always kept me in your thoughts.**_

 **The people of Vale gathered in the cemetery to mourn the loss of friends. The other kingdoms returned home to do the very same with their own customs.**

 _ **You'd have been justified if you'd come at me with hatred…instead, you always called me your friend. And I tried to betray even those feelings…**_

"Our Fearless Leader's stubborn nature always wins," Nora crossed her arms and smiled.

"Weiss was pretty stubborn too," Ren pointed out, "I don't think that's something that can be depended on…"

"Yes, it can," Nora answered.

Ren didn't want to argue.

"Told you so," Nora smiled.

 **The scene changed to a crowd massing outside the city gates.**

" **As I explained, it's the city policy. Only those authorized are allowed at the interview!" one guard yelled at the crowd. "All others please leave!"**

" **What? Do you know how far I traveled?"**

" **Let us see him, just once!"**

" **Yeah!"**

" **Yeah!"**

" **Let us see Jaune!"**

" **Let us see Jaune!"**

" **Please don't push the barrier!" he backed away from them.**

 **Inside Beacon's tower Glynda slammed a mountain of paperwork on Port's desk.**

" **This should take care of the successorship," She patted the papers.**

" **That's a lot of paper," Port nervously looked over the pile.**

" **Yeah," Glynda nodded, "Anyway, congratulations on becoming the Sixth Headmaster, Peter."**

" **Thank you Glynda," Port smiled, "I just wonder…Can I do this?"**

" **You'll manage," Glynda reassured him, "After all, I did."**

" **I'll do my best," Port nodded.**

" **Excuse me," Professor Peach and Ren entered the room, "Status report: the Atlesian entourage and Vacuo entourage have arrived. May I escort them to Jaune, too?"**

" **You may," both Glynda and Port answered simultaneously. They glanced at each other and laughed.**

" **Further…" Peach looked at Ren.**

" **I have a request," Ren said.**

 **Jaune and Yang fist bumped each other.**

" **I see," Port voiced over the scene, "I understand your intentions."**

" **I want to get some experience and improve my prospects too," Ren also spoke over the scene.**

" **All that's left is him," Port sighed.**

" **A ton of visitors have been asking about him," Glynda chuckled, "Suddenly he's Mr. Popular."**

" **That's alright," Port wasn't worried, "He's not the type to get carried away.**

" **Sun!" Jaune perked up.**

" **Jaune," he extended his hand and Jaune shook it, "You…saved me yet again."**

" **And us," Ruby and Yang nodded.**

" **How's your wound?" Neptune asked.**

" **About as you'd expect," Jaune moved his stump inside the sleeve, "Can't say I'm in the best of shape."**

" **Then," Sage asked, "What'll you do about that arm?"**

" **Oh," Jaune shrugged, "Grandma Glynda said something about harvesting cells from Ozpin, the First Headmaster, or whatever. And she's going to fuse them with mine, I suppose? I don't really understand."**

"You know," Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, "She's growing you a new arm, it would pay to PAY ATTENTION!"

"It's probably a little more complicated than just growing an arm," Ruby poked her fingers together.

"Still," Weiss sighed, "It's something THAT important, at least try to pay attention."

" **Will it be good as new?" Sun asked.**

" **Yeah!" Jaune nodded, "I think. I'm here today so they can check."**

" **Jaune is the Huntsman's Sun!" Yang rapped, "His right hand's a precious companion! Losing it is a devastation! Yay! So to get it back intact! Use Ozpin's cells, in fact! It'll be as good as new, Jack! Yay!"**

 **EVERYBODY groaned at yang's little performance. Jaune laughed at her as always.**

" **What's SHE up to?" Sun asked killing Jaune's laughter in an instant.**

"Damn Sun," Neptune shook his head, "Way to kill the mood."

"Well," Sun shrugged, "I mean we have to get back to the plot eventually!"

"You can't just enjoy the moment?" Neptune asked.

 **Weiss was inside a cell. Her body was wrapped up tight and a special seal was over her eyes.**

" **I don't want to say much," Jaune shook his head, "I promised I wouldn't."**

" **I see," Sun nodded.**

"Happy Sun?" Neptune asked.

"Not really," Sun crossed his arms.

"Is all that really necessary?" Weiss shuddered in her seat.

"You wanted to kill the heads of each kingdom," Winter was blunt, "The fact that you're not in chains or dead is nothing short of a miracle."

 **There was an x-ray of a leg on the wall. The bones in said leg were dust. The doctor shook his head at Pyrrha who lay in bed, with Nora and Blake by her side.**

" **P-Pyrrha!" Nora began to cry.**

" **Don't cry, Nora!" Pyrrha ordered, "Even if the bright days of youth end here, there is still a future for me! The sun that shines bright! The sweltering heat! The red-hot days of summer are here!" Pyrrha overextended her victory pose, "O-Oww…"**

" **PYRRHA!" Nora cheered, "I'M INSPIRED! WHAT A BRILLIANT WAY OF THINKING!"**

 _ **Oh yuck…**_ **Blake groaned.**

Pyrrha looked at Nora as she shot to her feet.

"Wait!" Nora pointed her finger at the screen, "So, you mean to tell me that you can grow a whole arm for Jaune, but you can't fix a broken bone in Pyrrha's leg?!"

"Her bone is basically powder Nora," Weiss explained, "That can't just be fixed."

"Jaune's arm is gone," Nora deadpanned, "She's growing a whole new arm! Bones and everything, you're telling me they can't fix bones that are still there?"

Weiss opened her mouth to object, then she stopped actually thinking about it…

" **Ren," Jaune and Ren walked together down the hall way, "I hear you're the Headmaster's personal assistant."**

" **Well yeah," Ren nodded, "I have to keep moving forward too."**

" **So why'd you ask me to come to the Academy?" Jaune asked as they stopped in front of a door. Ren opened it revealing Port and Glynda inside.**

" **Grandma Glynda?" Jaune was confused, "Professor Port?"**

"I swear to every god in every universe," Glynda grit her teeth, "Call me Grandma one more time and I'm taking your head off boy."

Qrow had the wise sense not to comment.

" **More like Headmaster Port," Ren corrected.**

" **HUH?!" Jaune exclaimed, "When did that happen?!"**

" **You must have seen all the messages that came in this morning," Ren sighed.**

" **I had no idea," Jaune hissed.**

" **Don't worry about it," Ren shook his head.**

" **So what do I call you now?" Jaune wondered, "Headmaster Port? Professor Headmaster?"**

" **We'll decide that later," Port stopped his ramblings, "Jaune. You never went to Combat School, right?"**

" **No," Jaune nodded.**

" **Jaune Arc," Port declared, "I, the Sixth Headmaster of Beacon Academy, herby grant you the rank of Huntsman of Vale."**

"Ho-ho!" Port cheered, "Excelent idea other me!"

"Seriously?" Glynda asked.

"He has everything a true huntsman needs," Port defended his decision.

 **Jaune was ecstatic while Ren and Glynda were shocked.**

" **Is what I would like to tell you," Port finished, "But there is something you must complete before that."**

 **In an instant Glynda's desk was stacked with books, papers, scrolls, the whole nine yards. Jaune's face fell in an instant.**

" **The educational materials you'll be needing," Glynda smiled.**

" **You mean?!" Jaune gasped.**

" **Yes," Port nodded, "You have to study!"**

" **Study?!" Jaune ran straight for the window, "No way!" he crashed into the window, "No way! No way! If I have to study, I'll just stay a civilian!"**

" **There's no shortcut to becoming Headmaster, got it?!" Oscar yelled at Jaune.**

" **Jaune," Port sighed, "I don't have to tell you that your skill as a Hunter is second to none. However, if your goal is to become the Headmaster, you must learn to stand above others and lead them. You catch on fast, and for most things, Ren will support you with all his resourcefulness. Still, a minimum of learning a knowledge is essential."**

" **We're rivals who both aim to become Headmaster, right?!" Oscar lectured as he handed Jaune a book labeled: "The History of Huntsman Volume 1."**

" **Right!" Jaune had a fire burning in his eyes. Later that night, the embers had blown away with the wind as his head fell on his desk.**

"Everyday in class," Ruby joked.

"Right?" Yang agreed.

Weiss nodded, even as diligent as she was there were times when she wanted to pass out during Port or Oobleck's lectures.

"Well, Glynda?" Port asked, "He has the power, he could've easily run away. But instead he chose to sit down and do the work, because the only way to achieve his dream is by doing things you don't want to do."

"Alright," Glynda conceded, "You win Peter."

" **You really dug in Jaune!" Glynda praised him, "Two more years, you can become a Huntsman!"**

" **So long…" Jaune groaned.**

" **Okay," Glynda nodded, "Let's call it a day and go grab some ramen."**

" **YES!" Jaune cheered. As they walked out of the Academy, "What toppings should I choose?"**

" **Calm down let's not get carried away," Glynda chuckled.**

 **Jaune stopped and looked at the swing in front of the academy. He saw the ghost of his childhood self-sitting there, "It's all thanks to you Doctor Glynda."**

" **Huh?" Glynda was confused.**

" **Do you remember that day?" Jaune asked.**

" **Huh?" Glynda asked.**

" **That night," Jaune remembered, "You accepted me. It was the first time ever. That's why I'm here today. If no one acknowledged me and I stayed the way I was…maybe I would have resented the City and everyone in it and gone wild. But your words that night changed me."**

" **Jaune is different," Glynda spoke as she was up against the tree, "He's an exceptional student and I acknowledge him! He is Jaune Arc of Vale!**

" **Thank you, Professor Goodwitch," Jaune smiled.**

" **That," she turned around, so he wouldn't see her crying, "That does it! Today, you can have all the toppings you want!"**

" **Alright!" Jaune laughed.**

"I always knew you had a heart under that bust!" Qrow mocked.

"Unlike some people," Glynda rolled her eyes.

"Remember what she said in the other one?" Oobleck asked, "She thinks of the students as her children. Jaune is no difference, no matter what his transcripts say."

Glynda blushed and hoped the darkness hid it.

 **The door to Weiss' cell was being opened. She heard footsteps but couldn't see anything because of the seal.**

" **Weiss," Port was in front of her.**

 **The scene quickly changed to outside the village gates. Where Port, Velvet, and Weiss were standing.**

" **I'll be blunt," Port crossed his arms, "By rights, you should be in prison right now. But we have heard your plea and all your actions up to now have been pardoned. Breaking the Infinite Tsukuyomi played a big part in the decision. As well as the fact that I happened to become the Sixth Headmaster, and that Jaune, the key figure in ending the war, testified on your behalf. Don't forget that. And please don't get too reckless. Otherwise, I'll be held responsible."**

" **Understood," Weiss nodded, "Thank you."**

" **Must you go?" Velvet asked, "The artificial arm Lady Glynda is creating from Lord Ozpin's cells will soon…"**

" **I need time to understand my feelings," Weiss cut her off, "how I view the world of Huntsmen, this world. Perhaps I'll be able to see things I couldn't see before. Things that can't be seen unless I do this. Also, there's something I'm worried about.**

 **Velvet jumped for a second, "What if I said…I'd go with you?"**

" **This is a trip to atone for my sins," Weiss closed her eyes, "My sins have nothing to do with you."**

 **Velvet's world shattered, "Nothing to do with me?" Velvet stared at the ground.**

 **Weiss tapped her forehead with two fingers, "Maybe next time. Thank you." Velvet blushed as Weiss walked away.**

"Aww," Coco teased, "Someone has a crush on a certain psychopath."

"Really Coco?" Weiss sighed.

"Am I wrong?" Coco asked.

"That purple eye does look good on you," Velvet smirked.

 **Weiss stopped and saw Jaune waiting, "I didn't think you'd come to see me off."**

" **Here," Jaune held out Weiss' Beacon headband with a slash through it.**

" **You kept that thing?" Weiss looked at the sleeve blowing in the wind.**

 _ **You sacrificed your arm to stop me. Thanks to you, I found salvation. Once, all we did was clash with each other. But now we share each other's pain. After all my travels through the world, I came to the conclusion that this sharing of pain can perhaps be applied to something much bigger than just us. But I can't do things like you. Things don't go that smoothly, as you and I know more than anyone…the bigger something is, the harder.**_

" **I'm returning this," Jaune said.**

" **I'll hang on to it," Weiss nodded, "Until our real match."**

 _ **This idea is almost a prayer. To keep enduring, no matter what, until things come to pass. And for who must endure, perhaps that's what it means to be a Huntress.**_

"That is one way of looking at it," Ozpin nodded.

"I'll wander the world never seeing any of my friends again?" Weiss shrunk in her seat.

"You'll see us again," Ruby put a hand on her shoulder, "We'll make sure of it."

"Yeah," Yang bumped her with her shoulder, "You can't get rid of us that easily."

Weiss looked at Blake, she just smiled at Weiss. NPR watched Jaune and smiled, that was the fearless leader they knew and loved. He fought tooth and nail to bring his friend back. The staff also smiled, and they looked forward to the day Jaune really was headmaster.

Cinder and her team however, they were worried. They now had two people who could reshape the world if they felt like it, and they both were on Ozpin's side…

…

 **This was fun to do, I hope you guys like it as much as I did writing it. I thought about cutting it off once the fight was over, but then I changed my mind and decided to go all the way with it.**

 **As for Hellsing, I've had requests for OVA and Abridged.**

 **I guess I'll have to do both.**

 **How you may ask? Well, I guess you'll just have to keep reading, then won't you?**

 **I'll see y'all next Monday, don't forget to support the Genital Warthunder P/a/treon!**


	21. (SC-II) Gifts from PWP

**The screen flickered to life to see WarThunder sitting on a throne with a comical sized gift right next to him.**

" **So," WarThunder held out a piece of paper in his hand, "We're doing something different today. You guys get some gifts."**

"Really?" Ruby perked up, "What kind of gifts?"

" **I have no idea," WarThunder shrugged, "I haven't opened them yet, but there's a list so, let's find out together."**

The cast grew anxious as WarThunder cleared his throat.

" **To the Watchers of The Infinite Realities," WarThunder read off the piece of paper in his hands, "We at Phoenix Warehouse Productions have seen that your kinda stuck there. So, we are sending a Care Package to try and keep you sane (I said try Nora). We hope that these will help. While we at the Warehouse would like to remind you that we are not from your reality we will treat you as we would your counterparts, out friends and family."**

 **WarThunder opened the box and began throwing gifts at the audience first up was Team RWBY, "To Ruby, a plushy of your mother, father, sister, and uncle by adoption Phoenix. Weiss, all the blackmail you could ever wish for on Jacques…think there's one of us giving him a Texas Wedgie. Blake, a copy of Loveless, a book about love, friendship, and hardship, and a copy of Jaune's Poetry journal. Yang, one-thousand and one Huntress Hair Styles."**

"Look at the tiny Yang!" Ruby giggled at the sighed of the plushy in her hands.

Weiss twirled the jumpdrive in her hands, "I wonder what dear old daddy's been hiding all these years."

Blake didn't answer, instead she dove straight into Jaune's poetry book.

"None of these better involve cutting," Yang opened the book and began searching through the various styles.

" **Moving on to NPR," WarThunder continued, "Nora, a sloth plushy with Ren's color scheme. Pyrrha, the Arc family photo album, look at how cute her is in a flower girl dress. (Shota Jaune Pics) and your car from the first film, here are the keys, it's brand new without a scratch. Ren, A Better Cooking, and your very own cookbook with recipes dependent on fighting style."**

"Not a real sloth?" Nora snuggled the plushy anyway.

" **I mean there's no way to keep an animal alive in a theater," WarThunder shrugged.**

"I thought the blemishes made her beautiful?" Pyrrha looked at the keys in her hand.

" **True," WarThunder smiled at her, "But now you get to make your own."**

"Interesting," Ren read over the cook books, "I can't wait to try these out when we leave."

" **Now for the criminals," A catapult materialized beside him, "This'll be fun. Mercury, twenty million dollars don't be afraid to do what you want. Cinder, the photo album of you, Jaune, and Ember. As well as your counterpart's diary, don't worry I didn't read it, what kind of father would that make me? Emerald, another twenty million we both know what you want so, go get it. Roman, an endless case of Cuban Cigars with an endless supply of matches. Neo, an unending supply of your favorite food, always at the perfect temp. Adam, a boot to the head."**

None of them could respond. Funny enough, flinging gifts at someone with a medieval siege weapon tends to hurt. They're lucky none of them died. WarThunder was still laughing his ass off on his throne.

" **Ok," the catapult disappeared, "Back to normal, but you guys gotta admit, that was pretty funny."**

"He's right you know," Ironwood chuckled.

"That was pretty funny," Ilia poked Adam's unconscious body.

" **Ilia," WarThunder pointed at her, "You're up first, some advice. Tell her how you fell, even if she doesn't feel the same way or you must share it is better to have confessed than not. Sun, a new vest with a never-ending supply of bananas in the pocket. Neptune, the number of a phobia-specialist, you need help man. Velvet, plushies of your closest friends and your crush. Coco, five million to your favorite store once it gets rebuilt and forty for outfits to team RWBY and JNPR."**

Ilia turned pink at her gift. While Neptune turned red. Sun immediately began testing his vest. Velvet compared the plushy with Coco and compared the two. Coco pushed the plushy to Velvet's lips.

"Not as good as the original," Velvet smirked.

"I knew it," Coco grinned.

" **Do you two need a room?" WarThunder asked.**

"Can you give us one?" Coco asked.

 **WarThunder snapped his fingers and a small room appeared around the two love birds.**

"Damn," Yang could feel the walls shaking, "They don't waste time, do they?"

"One is a rabbit," Kali shrugged.

" **Moving on," WarThunder chuckled, "Ghira, a portrait of Captn Kali, Keeper of the Code. Oh yeah, you missed that one."**

"Is my wife a pirate?" Ghira examined the portrait. Kali looked at herself and smiled, of how she wished she could've seen that one.

" **Kali, pics of Blake's future children. Winter, blackmail against Whitley…I helped run him up the flagpole and if you look closely you can see Phoenix flipping him off. Summer, Triple chocolate chip, and angelic strawberry cake recipes, enjoy little sis. Tai, advice, they gave Summer back to you, make her cry and you die. Raven, Phoenix promised to do this, a boot to the jaw. Your counterpart made Phoenix promise if she was ever a bad mother he would break her jaw. Can't get to her so will settle on you. Qrow, blackmail on Raven, who knew she had back hair you can braid?"**

"You do know we're twins right?" Qrow looked over the blackmail, "I know she doesn't have any back hair."

" **Now the teachers," WarThunder was running out of gifts, "Ozpin, an unbreakable never empty coffee mug engraved with: Good Mentor, Great Friend, Better Brother. Keep an eye on the kids for me big brother. Glynda, advice: change your style you look like a dominatrix and get your head on straight and tell him you love him. Port, I miss our discussions about how to take down grimm, so, have this Adrian Midnight-Phoenix's Guide to Hunting. Oobleck, the Pirate Codex from the previous world, and a box that'll deliver any important book from any world to your office. Lastly, Ironwood, a picture of your old team and a jumpdrive with classified information for a world that may or may not come up in the future, won't spoil the surprise now."**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Adrian Midnight-Phoenix**

 **CEO of Phoenix Warehouse Productions**

 **Father to Villains**

 **Uncle to Heroes**

 **Former Huntsman**

 **A man who destroyed a planet**

 **A man who saved a Galaxy**

 **A man who is tired.**

…

 **Special thanks to Phoenix Warehouse Productions for providing the gifts.**

 **Don't forget to support the Genital WarThunder P/a/treon!**

 **I'll see y'all next time.**


	22. (XIV Happy Halloween!) JauneSing

"Alright," Ruby cheered, "HellsArc, finally we get to see what happens with Zombie Pyrrha and Vampire Jaune!"

"This was rather entertaining," Blake smirked, "I wonder what's going to happen next."

"Only one way to find out," Yang kicked her feet up.

" **All flesh is grass, and all the comeliness thereof as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God abideth forever." A steak was driven into Jaune's chest. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and his red eyes stared at the man above him.**

"This doesn't look like it'll be as funny as the last one," Ruby whimpered at the imagery on screen.

"Are we in the right theater?" Yang lost all confidence from before.

" **Have I been…bested…sir?" Jaune weakly asked.**

" **Yes, you are bested," He answered, "This is not a nightmare you will be waking up from. Your castles are plundered. Your dominion's in ruin. Your servants destroyed. And the girl has fled this place forevermore. She will never be yours, Count." He raised his fist driving the steak further in, causing Jaune to scream, "You are judged, and found wanting, Vampire King. You have nothing. You are nothing. NOTHING!"**

 **Jaune woke up in his room on his throne. To his left was a table with a bottle of wine, a half-filled glass and his sunglasses. He touched his eyes and found blood.**

" **Dreaming," a drop of blood fell on his glove, "It was just a dream. It was nothing."**

 **The glass tipped over and the wine spelled out: JauneSing 2.**

"What's JauneSing?" Nora asked.

"Apparently the total fucking opposite from last time!" Yang shuddered at the scene.

"So Jaune will actually be serious?" Pyrrha tilted her head, "I wonder what Zombie Pyrrha will be like then."

"When are we going to show up is what I want to know," Weiss crossed her arms.

" **Well now," an old man spoke, "The situation must be incredibly dire if you have the gall to convene a round table conference. Am I right, Sir Glynda?"**

" **Yes," Glynda answered, "Civilian reports of vampire attacks on Valen soil have been rising steadily in the past few months."**

" **We can't keep this quiet for much longer."**

" **There are limits to the information we can suppress. What is going on Sir Glynda?"**

" **We have been conducting a thorough investigation into the matter," Glynda explained, "And finally we have come across our first solid piece of evidence." She held up a tiny microchip.**

" **And what is that supposed to be?"**

" **A transmitter," Glynda explained, "Perhaps much more. We've been finding these microchips embedded within the vampires. These chips seem to relay information regarding the creatures' physical and mental state, movements, and altercations."**

"I wonder," Ironwood stroked his chin.

"Can't be done," Port answered immediately, "I've tried."

"Damn," Ironwood sighed.

" **Good God!"**

" **These attacks are not random," Glynda continued, "There is someone creating these vampires. Controlling them. Moving toward some unknown purpose. And that's not all. It gets worse."**

" **What?"**

" **Please, go on."**

" **These are different," Glynda lit a cigar, "Traditionally, ghouls come from the corpses of deflowered men and women once drained of blood by a vampire. But not anymore. During these last few incidents not one new vampire has been created. Even young boys and girls who were clearly virgins have become ghouls instead of vampires. Also, the traditional ghouls we've encountered in the past did not survive the destruction of their host. But, during the Badrick incident Mistralian Agent Nikos claimed to have destroyed the vampire well before our arrival." She put her cigar out on the microchip, "The host vampire had already been dispatched, and yet, the ghouls still walked."**

" **So, what does it all mean?"**

" **We are at war against a conspiracy of vampire experts," Glynda crossed her arms, "And they are displaying remarkable skill. Gentlemen, the enemy is just like us."**

"Rouge Hunters," the mere mention of such a thing left a bitter taste in Ozpin's mouth.

"They abuse the gifts their given and the training we put them through and for what?" Ironwood was also angry.

The students looked back to see the teachers look as if they were about to attack the screen.

" **Ozpin," Yang was grinding her teeth, "What the hell is that…thing?"**

" **That "thing" you're referring to is a coffin," Ozpin explained.**

" **I know," Yang grit her teeth, "Why is there a coffin in my bedroom?"**

" **Oh," Ozpin stood straight up, "It's here on orders from Sir Glynda. "We can't have a vampire who doesn't sleep in a coffin." So, there you are."**

" **What have you done with my bed?" Yang twitched.**

 **Ozpin took a step back, "I had it disposed of. Of course."**

 **Yang's screams shook the whole mansion.**

" **Fine, if it helps the orders were confirmed by Jaune as well," Ozpin said.**

" **Huh?" Yang stopped, "Master?"**

"Master?" Ruby raised an eyebrow, "I thought Blake was the kinky one?"

"RUBY!" Yang, Tai, and Summer yelled.

Blake snickered to herself, "Payback's a bitch isn't Yang?"

" **Yes," Ozpin nodded, "Since you're still refusing to drink blood like a proper vampire, you will slowly become weaker. You must now sleep in a coffin filled with the soil of your birthplace. This smallest of concessions is the only way to keep up your strength." Yang was ashamed, "I take it you're still feeling uncomfortable with the situation."**

" **You're an idiot," Jaune walked into the room.**

" **Master!" Yang gulped.**

" **You chose the night," Jaune resumed, "once you've turned your back on the light of day, all the sunlight should ever mean to you is smoldering pain and a slow death…"**

"Well can't get more serious than that," Yang gulped at the sound of Jaune's voice.

"I do not want to get on this Jaune's bad side," Pyrrha shook her head.

"Agreed," everyone, including the teachers shrunk a little in their seats.

"Anyone else find that deep voice extremely attractive?" Coco asked.

"I do," Cinder raised her hand.

" **Good evening Jaune," Ozpin walked over to a case he had brought in, "I have something very special I was hoping to show you."**

 **Jaune opened the case revealing a black gun with the inscription: "Jesus Christ is in Heaven now" on the barrel.**

" **The Jackal," Ozpin explained, "A custom thirteen-millimeter anti-freak combat pistol. It fires custom made rounds, far more powerful than the four-fifty-four Casull rounds you're used to. Thirty-nine centimeters long, sixteen kilograms in weight. Six rounds per magazine. The Jackal has more firepower than any human can be expected to handle."**

" **And the rounds?" Jaune asked.**

" **Thirteen-millimeter explosive shells,"**

" **Casings?"**

" **Pure Macedonium Silver."**

" **And the tips? Explosive or mercury?"**

" **Mercury tips, and they're already blessed."**

" **It's perfection, Ozpin," Jaune loaded it.**

Ruby crossed her legs and was drooling at the sight.

"No!" Yang sprayed her with a bottle, "Ruby down!"

"Ozpin makes guns in this one?" Raven asked, "Good thing that ancient brain of yours isn't going to waste. For once."

" **I am pleased that you're pleased sir," Ozpin bowed.**

" **I beat this beauty could stop sister Nikos dead in her tracks," Jaune smiled.**

" **Oh my god," Yang buzzed around the gun, "Master, that's amazing!"**

" **Miss. Xiao-Long," Ozpin turned around, "I believe I have something special for you as well…"**

" **Huh?" Yang turned around with a smile on her face.**

" **The Harkonnen," Ozpin held up a cannon, "A thirty-millimeter anti-freak cannon. Designed to be used with both depleted-uranium shells and exploding incendiary shells. This weapon will destroy all but the most heavily armored of targets."**

" **W-w-w-w-what the hell is that?!" Yang pointed to the 'gun' Ozpin had.**

"It needs to be a scythe," Ruby leaned back.

"Not everything has to be two things in one Pipsqueak," Qrow chuckled.

"Blasphemy!" Ruby pointed the Finger of Doom at her uncle.

 **Weiss and Winter were walking side-by-side down the road. Weiss was cackling while Winter just listened to her little sister.**

" **So this dude's friend," Weiss spoke through her laughs, "I mean he's like a real doctor but like, does the cosmetic shit on the side, right? So then that same crazy fuck with the horn comes back but now he wants a Plexiglas plate for his skull. And the doctor fucking does it! He makes a window! You can see the fucker's brain and shit! This guy's got a big monster horn and his head meat on display! The guy's a freak! I mean, what the fuck? Yeah, you get it?" Weiss burst into laughter.**

Winter rounded on Weiss leaving a comical bump on her head, "Mind your language!"

"But it wasn't me who said it!" Weiss held the bump.

"Oh!" Yang perked up, "The Ice Queen with her hair down! This should be fun."

" **Shut up," Winter ordered, "This, stream of drivel pours from your mouth before every job. Can we just this once try for quiet, focused, and cool?"**

"Guess it would be too much to ask for both of them to let their hair down huh?" Qrow rolled his eyes at Winter's attitude.

"One out of two aint bad," Ruby shrugged, "Besides, it's my favorite one!" Ruby snuggled up to Weiss.

"Unhand me you dolt!" Weiss 'strugged'.

" **Yeah, yeah, yeah," Weiss dismissed, "I got it. Same old shit. I know. Fucking-A Sis."**

" **Failure is not an option," Winter and Weiss reached the gate to the Goodwitch compound.**

" **Oh please," Weiss scoffed, "I could pull this job in my goddamn sleep."**

" **Hey," one of the guards stopped them, "What are you two doing here? These grounds are off limits."**

" **Oh, I'm so sorry," Winter apologized, "We're on a sight seeing tour of famous Vale estates."**

" **Are you saying this mansion isn't open to the public?" Weiss asked.**

" **This is private property," the guard answered, "Please leave at once."**

" **Yes sir," Weiss looked at Winter**

" **Alright," Winter met her sister's gaze.**

 **They turned sideways, then Winter snapped her fingers. A bullet went flying right through the guard's forehead, painting the gate with his brains. The second guard gasped and stared at the two busses to see the smoking gun, and then more came out of the windows.**

" **Dude's looking kinda queasy," Weiss tilted her head.**

" **He could use a nap," Winter smiled.**

" **Right then," Weiss raised her hand, "Ciao." She snapped her fingers and a hail of bullets rained on the other guard. "Hold your fire! Hold your fire! I said hold your fucking fire!" the bullets finally stopped. "Dude, Sis…these guys are complete fucking idiots. Are you sure about this shit?"**

" **Please," Winter scoffed, "This is a test. An insignificant, ordinary test. Don't forget the big picture. His plans are moving forward, and we are but the smallest cogs in his great machine…"**

 **Weiss snorted holding in a chuckle, "Fine, whatever. Now, let's have a little fun." Weiss snapped her fingers and the doors to the buses flew off their hinges. The ghouls that stepped out were dressed in military uniforms with a rifle in one hand and metal riot shields in the other. Crudely drawn on them was the Schnee logo with the words: "Boo Doo, Peo Ple, Mur Der, Peo Ple." They stood at attention once they met up with the Schnee sisters.**

" **Listen up maggots!" Weiss yelled drawing two sub-machine guns, "You know how the plan goes! You make the kill, you drink the spill! And if you run into Jaune or the Goodwitch beyotch…don't you quit till they're dead! Dead! DEAD!"**

"Well damn," Yang recoiled, "Weiss has a nasty side."

Winter rounded on Weiss again, "When I helped you get away from Father, this is not what I had envisioned."

"Stop hitting ME for what some OTHER Weiss said!" Weiss roared.

"Weiss has some real bite," Mercury nudged Cinder.

 **The power in the conference room began to flicker startling the knights.**

" **Calm down!" one demanded, "What's going on, Sir Glynda?"**

" **Sir Glynda!" the phone on the table yelled, "This is control room one!"**

" **What happened?" Glynda asked, "Report!"**

" **We're under attack!" he reported, "It's an unknown enemy!"**

" **What?!" Glynda snapped.**

" **All outside communication has been cut off!" he continued, "We're currently exchanging fire at the front entrance!"**

" **Hold the line!" Glynda ordered, "Buy as much time as you can!"**

" **Yes ma'am!" he replied, only seconds later he began screaming.**

" **Officer?!" Glynda yelled, "I need details! How many?! Who are we fighting?!"**

" **The enemy," he gasped, "Oh god…the enemy are ghouls…" that caused the entire round table to gasp.**

 **Outside control room one, the ghouls were advancing while the guards kept shooting at them.**

" **Aim high!" one guard kept hitting their shields.**

" **Damnit!" one cursed, "Why won't they die?!" he was shot in the head.**

 **One ghoul had his head blown clean off, only hanging on by a few strands of meat. But the body kept advancing. The guards didn't stand a chance. They were slaughtered within seconds. Weiss was in the middle of the ghouls, she stopped at a four-way hallway.**

" **Up, up!" she fired as she shot with sadistic red eyes, "Down, down! Left, right, left, right!" Weiss posed with one gun in the air and other on her side, with smoke still coming out of the barrels, "Bringing the motherfucking death by Konami!" she let out a deep sigh, "I am so fucking wet right now!"**

"Ok," Weiss sighed, "Hit me."

"That was…" Winter blinked, "Interesting."

"And I thought Blake was perverted," Ruby snickered.

"It's nice to know I'm not the only one," Blake glanced at Weiss.

 **Winter watched and simply adjusted her glasses. When she looked down the left hallway and saw an ominous aura on the floor. While Weiss was laughing and moving forward, Winter decided to follow the aura.**

" **An army?" Glynda asked, "A ghoul army?"**

" **We need to buy time!"**

" **First priority is our evacuation. Secure a path to the heliport!"**

 **The ceiling began to rumble as an explosion shook the mansion.**

" **Great Scott! What happened?! What was that?!"**

" **I'm afraid it was the heliport, sir," the phone responded.**

" **What?!"**

" **This is a very well-planned attack," Glynda sighed, "Damn."**

" **Sir Glynda," the phone spoke, "We can't hold this position for much longer. We're being overrun! It's…Jesus it's…" he began screaming.**

" **Officer?!" Glynda yelled, "Report! Officer! Hello!"**

" **Hello?" Weiss asked, "Is this thing on? Cool…this message is going out to the round table conference! And a very personal and heartfelt shout out to the queen bitch herself, Miss. Goodwitch! Your ass is currently being kicked by the Schnee Sisters! My name is Weiss Schnee, and I can't wait to meet each and every one of you. We'll be getting intimate as soon as me and the boys finish lunch. Let me be the first to thank you for providing us all these tasty snacks. By tomorrow Goodwitch will be nothing but a pile of shit." Glynda broke her cigar during Weiss' little speech, "You've got no where left to run and no where to hide. Cause now I'm coming to kill you. I wanna see you cry and beg. In the meantime, I highly recommend pissing yourself, followed by a course of praying to your impotent god! But, hey, there's still time left to just be a man and kill yourself! Thank you, Vale! We love you! Good night!" the call disconnected. Glynda had bit her lip so hard, blood was running down her chin.**

"I honestly can't tell if this Weiss knows what she's doing," Port began, "Or if she's just being herself."

"Few weapons are as effective as terror," Cinder smiled, "She's combined it with what she loves. It's an interesting little combo."

"It works," Ruby shuddered, "I'm pretty terrified right now."

"Not to mention she's rather unstable," Glynda commented, "That's a dangerous combination."

"Makes for some rather interesting results though," Nora giggled.

Ren and Pyrrha shared a glance at the Sugary Bomber.

" **What do you plan to do about this Glynda?! He said ghouls have taken over the estate…"**

" **They're coming for us," Glynda answered, "What's worse, we have a security leak."**

" **Damnit, Glynda!"**

 **She ignored the outburst and hit the buttons on the phone, "What's your position Ozpin?"**

" **Miss. Xiao-Long's room in the sub-basement," Ozpin answered, "I have already been brought up to speed on the situation. Outside communications have been cut off so I wouldn't expect reinforcements for at least four hours, maybe five. In the meantime, our current forces have been ordered to defend the conference room with their lives."**

" **What do you recommend?" Glynda asked.**

" **Well for starters, pleases fortify the door to the conference room. Since both Jaune and Miss. Xiao-Long are with me down in the sub-basement, I propose we divide into two teams. Jaune will head upstairs, while Miss Xiao-Long and I will make our way towards the conference room."**

" **How will you manage?" Glynda asked, "The hallway is full of ghouls."**

" **How did you manage to find Jaune's cell ten years ago?" Ozpin asked.**

 **Glynda gasped and looked up, "The air ducts of course!"**

" **Seems to be the best option at the moment, we'll both be there shortly. Good luck." Ozpin was about to hang up when Glynda stopped him.**

" **Ozpin," Glynda spoke, "These animals are eating my people. Show no mercy. Do not let them leave the grounds alive!"**

 **A wire shot from Ozpin's finger tips, "By your orders then, Sir Glynda."**

" **Oh?" Jaune sighed, "Does Oscar P. Ozpin, the Angel of Death ride again?"**

 **Yang gasped and looked between them, "Come on, what are you two talking about?"**

" **You'll see soon enough," Jaune chuckled.**

 **Ozpin stroked his chin, "Put the Veteran and the rookie together and you may as well have one normal solider."**

" **This could actually end up being fun," Jaune chuckled as he walked through the wall.**

" **Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Yang asked the audience, "If there are any normal people who work in this bloody place?"**

"The Angel of Death?" Ironwood asked, "I can't believe I'm agreeing with a Vampire, but this might actually end up being fun!"

"I'll say," Raven crossed her arms, "I've never really seen Ozpin fight."

"I'm headmaster for a reason you know," Ozpin shrugged.

"Now we get to see why," Raven gestured to the screen.

 **Winter walked down the hallway examining the art on the walls. She stopped to examine a painting, when spears came flying out of it and impaled Winter to the wall. The guards came out of another hallway to inspect. All they found was Winter's coat. Suddenly one of the guards' heads was cut in half. The other growled and fired at her.**

" **Please," Winter was right behind him, "Be quiet." His body then fell to pieces.**

 **Four more guards came out from a hidden passage way behind a mirror. They all began firing but Winter simply dodged their bullets and appeared in the middle of them. Then the guards all fell to pieces. Her phone began ringing as their bodies hit the floor.**

" **What?" she asked knowing it was Weiss.**

" **Yo Winter, what up?" Weiss sat against a pile of bodies, "Can you hear me now? This is your sister Weiss Schnee, commander of the army of undead Goowitch slayers. Ah yeah," she looked over her ghouls eating the guards, "Letting you know the first two floors are secure. Now all that's left is to take out the third floor, crash the Round Table Conference and kick the shit out of a little girl and a bunch of old people."**

" **Just stick to the plan," Winter said, "Don't give them an inch." Winter moved the mirror revealing a staircase, "I think, I'm heading toward the basement." She hung up and saw a little bloodstain on her sleeve, she growled and cleaned it off. "That's enough of that. Time to see what you can really do, Jaune." Winter's eye turned red as she began down the stairs.**

"Oh!" Nora bounced, "Serious Jaune fighting!"

"Aw," Pyrrha slumped, "I have the feeling I won't see Zombie me."

"But we get to see Vampire Jaune!" Nora shook Pyrrha, "Come on!" Nora leaned in to whisper, "I'll bet you three chocolate-covered strawberries it'll get fun."

Pyrrha perked instantly.

"Atta girl," Nora returned to her seat.

" **What the hell is going on?!"**

 **Glynda fixed her glasses, "They're closing in, and fast. They've taken the first two floors as well as the roof. Escape is impossible."**

" **Just do something! You're responsible for this!"**

" **Sir Port! This is neither the time nor place for such behavior. I believe what Sir Glynda is trying to say is that we must all be expected to fend for ourselves when the time comes. Is that correct?"**

" **Yes sir," Glynda nodded.**

" **And they're ghouls, aren't they?" Sir Port fell back into his seat, "And they're armed to the teeth. We're all…" the ceiling tile above him began to shake, "We're all going to die!" the tile fell directly on Sir Port's head. He looked up and saw, "Is that a bottom?"**

 **Yang proceeded to fall bottom first on Sir Port's head causing them both to fall out of the chair. Ozpin, however, landed with both hands on the table, and back flipped off it.**

"I never thought you'd be the one to falter under pressure Peter," Glynda looked at the professor.

"I don't know," Peter shrugged, "Grimm I can handle of course, but the undead are something else."

"He does have a point," Ironwood shrugged.

" **Are you alright, Miss. Xiao-Long?" Ozpin asked.**

" **Yang!" Glynda gasped, "Ozpin!"**

" **I do apologize for the delay," Ozpin began walking toward Glynda.**

" **Hi!" Yang was still on top of Sir Port.**

" **The manor's defensive forces have been roundly decimated," Ozpin lit Glynda's cigar, "I don't know who armed and trained these creatures, but whoever did is a tactical genius. They knew exactly how and where to hit us."**

" **Ozpin," Glynda looked up at him, "Honestly, do you think we're done for?"**

" **No," Ozpin shook his head, "Of course not! Compared to the sorts of trouble Van Goodwitch faced a century ago, I think it's fair to say this hardly rates as a crisis." Ozpin's knuckles were cracking, "The plan is as follows, Sir Glynda. Jaune will intercept the attackers in the sublevels. Yang and I will clear this floor. You're standing orders will be followed to the letter." Ozpin had a sort of garrote wire at the end of his fingers, "I promise that not one of these villains will ever see the light of day again. Now, with your permission Sir, I believe it's time I gave these young people a proper lesson in violence…"**

"Holy god," Raven groaned, "The suspense is killing me!"

"Me too!" Summer threw her hands up.

"I know you two have seen me in action before," Ozpin looked at his former students.

"Not really," Taiyang looked back at Ozpin, "You were headmaster when we were students."

"Now we can see what makes you headmaster," Raven smiled.

 **Weiss was sitting at Glynda's desk with her feet propped up, she lit one of her cigars, "Fuck these are some fine cigars! Like all bourgeois and shit!" She did a flip over the desk in front of her ghouls, "I mean, come on. That's just fucked up. People starving in the world and she's wasting money on this? A slow and agonizing death is too good for that stick-up-her-ass bitch. I think it's time someone gave her an old fashion working-class ass kicking!"**

"I'd welcome the try Miss. Schnee," Glynda's knuckles popped as she made a fist.

"Meep," Weiss shrunk into her seat, "This Weiss is going to get me killed."

 **Winter blew a hole in the wall into Jaune's room.**

" **I know you're in here," Winter began walking forward, "Even when you're hiding, I can feel your presence."**

" **Why on earth would I hide?" Jaune asked sitting in his chair from the beginning, "Don't dare mistake my patience for cowardice. Honestly I was starting to get a bit bored waiting for you."**

"I see what you mean Coco," Velvet shuddered in her seat, "That voice though."

"Damn Vel," Yang shuddered too, "I think you're right."

"That she is," Cinder smiled.

 **Winter continued forward and bowed, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Jaune. My name is Winter Schnee. I'm a really big fan of your work."**

" **Little Goodwitch chicky," Weiss sang while walking down the hall, "We're coming to find you…come on out and play little Goodwitch. I promise it's gonna be a lot of fun. We just want to torture you, kill you, maybe skull-fuck your corpse a couple times, burn the house down, go home and masturbate, OK?"**

 **The door in front of Weiss opened and out stepped Ozpin. A thin blue wire flashed from his fingertips. It flew past her and cut down half her army, and half her cigar.**

"Finally!" Raven cheered, "Now, that was awesome!"

"Better than a cane wouldn't you say?" Qrow nudged the headmaster.

"Don't mock my cane you drunk," Ozpin glared.

"Touchy-touchy," Qrow raised his hands in defense.

"What kind of wire is that?" Glynda asked.

"Microfilament," Ruby answered, "Very sharp, and he handles them like an extension of himself."

" **Oh dear?" Ozpin stepped forward, "Did I miss? I guess I'm not as spry as I used to be…my name is Oscar P. Ozpin. Butler to the Goodwitch Family, and former master vampire hunter."**

" **Fire!" Weiss quickly snapped.**

 **Ozpin dodged the barrage of bullets and readied his wires, "bit on the slow side, aren't they? After all a ghoul is just a ghoul. In theory threatening, certainly tenacious. But honestly they're quite a distance from indestructible or invincible." As if to emphasize his point, Ozpin tugged on one of his wires and cut more of Weiss' ghouls in half. "I highly recommend pissing yourself," Ozpin stepped forward, "Followed by a course of praying to your impotent God."**

"Damn," Ironwood watched, "I may have underestimated you Ozpin."

"Don't forget," Raven pointed out, "This is a different universe."

"Don't ruin my moment," Ozpin sighed.

 **Weiss burst into laughter, "Now that's fucking great. Cause I gotta tell ya, plowing through you people was really starting to bore the shit out of me!" Weiss snapped her fingers and the ghouls raise their riot shields.**

" **Oh my," Ozpin watched them march forward, "Miss. Xaio-Long, no would be a good time for some support."**

 **Yang had her new cannon at the ready, "Sir, right!"**

 **She fired, and the bullet ripped through the shields of several ghouls before finally exploding.**

" **Second volley!" Ozpin ordered, "Fire an incendiary round with a VT fuse straight through the center ranks!"**

" **Yes sir!" Yang obeyed reloading, ejecting the massive shell.**

" **Oh, fuck you!" Weiss yelled.**

"How many times do I hear that a day?" Yang rolled her eyes smirking at Weiss.

Weiss opened her mouth to speak and say exactly what Yang wanted her to say. Only she stopped when Winter raised her hand and held it to the back of her head.

 **Yang fired, Weiss jumped away from the ghouls with her SMGs and ran toward Ozpin. She kicked and fired but Ozpin simply knelt with one of his wires in her lip ring.**

" **Like that?" Wiess clearly didn't notice, "You old fuck?" To respond he ripped it right from her lip.**

" **Ow!" Weiss readied her guns, "Die!"**

 **Yang ran up behind her and trapped her in an arm bar, "I've got her Ozpin! Are you alright?"**

" **Get off bitch!" Weiss struggled, "I'm supposed to be on top."**

"Oh no, no, no," Yang wagged her finger at Weiss, "Honey baby I'm the one on top."

Weiss turned a shade matching Pyrrha's hair.

"Are we going to have this argument again?" Blake leaned closer to Yang's ear.

"Ren," Nora elbowed her partner, "Get me some popcorn."

" **I think I'm starting to feel my age," Ozpin stood up, "That is quite an impressive hold, where did you learn it?"**

" **Well," Yang tightened her grip on Weiss, "I was a huntress once."**

" **Get the fuck off me!" Weiss complained, "Fucking vampire slut! Is this chick the best you got? No wonder you all went down like a bunch of pussies!"**

" **I'll be asking the questions!" Ozpin yelled, "What's the objective of this attack? Who are you taking orders from?"**

" **Me?" Weiss asked, "I'm just a tourist. I was passing by, totally minding my own business, and I thought I'd have a look. So, we cool, dude?"**

 **Weiss screamed as Ozpin stomped on her hand, "Young Lady, the left one's next." Weiss glared, and Ozpin twisted his foot.**

Winter had her sword pointed at Ozpin, "You dare lay hands on my sister?"

"Stand down Schnee," Ironwood ordered.

"Winter," Ozpin slowly lowered her sword, "This is a different reality. You know I wouldn't harm anyone."

Ravens scoffed, Winter glanced at Raven before returning to her seat.

" **We were following orders!" Weiss admitted, "We were told to attack the Goodwtich headquarters, and kill everyone we found inside. We were supposed to confirm the deaths of the Round Table, and your pet vampire."**

" **Hold on," Ozpin stopped, "You're not the only one in charge here. Who else?"**

 **Weiss laughed, "Wow. You're quick. Right now Big Sister Schnee is downstairs beating Jaune into a carpet stain!"**

" **Your name gets thrown around quite a bit Jaune," Winter spoke, "The things people say about you. They tell stories about your amazing strength, how you glide through oceans of blood. They call you Night-Walker. Beyond Human. A monster whose powers radiate with a darkness that casts a shadow on darkness itself. Finally, I get to know once and for all if there's anything more to you than rumor. When I was human, I feared you. The stories anyway. When I gave up being and became this. I began to admire you. You…the first great pioneer of immortality. No matter what the rest of us do, really we're just chasing your shadow."**

"Dear god Ice Queen," Yang threw her arms up, "Do I need to buy you some knee pads?"

"I thought I was the Ice Queen?" Weiss asked.

"I didn't know you had a sister," Yang shrugged, "So, you're more like an Ice-Princess."

" **That's ridiculous," Jaune scoffed, "You fool. There's no such thing as immortal."**

" **Yes I know," Winter nodded, "And once I have your head on a stick, everyone else will know too. So now I get to kill you and make my wildest dreams come true."**

 **Winter pulled a gun from her coat and Jaune pulled on from his. The ruckus causes his glass to tip over and fall off the table. One it shattered on the ground, they both pulled the trigger. Winter fell back and Jaune slumped in his chair. Winter was first to rise and kept firing at Jaune. Still in his chair he returned fire.**

" **You've never seen anything like me before!" Winter dodge his bullets, "I was designed to surpass you in every way. I was born to be your death!"**

 **Jaune fired a bullet from the Jackal. Winter dodged, and it exploded a hole in the wall bigger than the door itself.**

" **A pistol?" Winter gaped at the hole, "Did that? Jesus…"**

" **Your reflexes are amazing," Jaune complimented.**

" **I told you I'm completely different from any creature you've ever faced before. I have the sum total of your vampiric power at my disposal. All of it and more."**

 **Jaune whistled.**

"I want that gun!" Ruby reached for the screen, "Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!"

"Calm down Rubes," Yang restrained her sister.

"Just make it when we get home," Weiss rolled her eyes, "Are you telling me you don't remember the exact specifications that Ozpin said?"

Ruby just blushed.

" **Me and my sister were deigned with the soul intention of killing you fucks," Weiss explained to Ozpin, "You people are so fucking dead you don't even know it!"**

 **Yang tightened her grip around her neck.**

" **You're in no position to make threats," Ozpin stated.**

 **Weiss laughed at him, "Dude, you must be going senile Alfred!"**

 **Ozpin readied his wires. When in the dark hallway a snarling was heard. Ozpin looked up and saw more ghouls approaching. Using the opportunity, Weiss broke free and jumped away from them.**

" **And now for our next trick!" Weiss gestured to the door, "Check out door number three!" It was the Goodwitch guards all transformed into ghouls.**

" **My god," Ozpin gasped, "What have you done?!"**

" **Let's get this party started!" Weiss jumped over Ozpin and began running toward Glynda's room.**

" **STOP!" Ozpin ordered wrapping the wires around her arm. But Weiss kept running even after her arm was torn off. She burst through the door…**

"Seriously?!" Weiss screamed, "I lost my arm in the last one, now this one too?!"

"You have a serious limb problem in these realities, don't you?" Yang chuckled.

"Apparently!" Weiss threw her arms up.

" **You made it," Glynda greeted raising her gun, "Congratulations." The other knights had guns of their own.**

" **Fuck me…" Wiess gasped as the guns began shooting Weiss. She fell to her knees once the bullets stopped, then fell on her face.**

" **What?!" Glynda gasped looking at her men turned into ghouls.**

" **He's not even trying to dodge the bullets!" Winter danced around his shots while firing hers, "Does he think he's indestructible?! Everything has a breaking point!"**

 **Jaune continued to take the bullets with ease, while firing wildly at Winter.**

" **He may act like he's not injured, but he's taking far more damage than I am!" Jaune stopped firing and stood there. "I can beat him!"**

 **Jaune began laughing, "Yes! Excellent! I haven't had this much fun in ages!" Jaune's laughs grew more demented, "What did you say your name was?"**

" **It's Winter," she hesitantly answered, "Winter Schnee."**

" **Winter Schnee," Jaune's wounds began healing, "It's obvious that your powers are beyond even the highest category of vampire." The symbol on Jaune's gloves began glowing, "Releasing Control Art Restriction Systems 3…2…1… approval of Situation A recognized. Commencing the Cromwell Invocation. Ability restrictions lifted for limited use until the enemy has been rendered silent."**

A small seer spawned in the corner of the room. Where from the safety of her domain, a certain Dark Witch was watching with increasing interest.

"What exactly am I watching here?" Salem asked.

"I don't exactly know," Watts answered, "But this is certainly entertaining. Let's see what happens."

 **Eyes began to envelope the screen and theater walls. Each one bloodshot and staring at everyone. Jaune's figure turned into eyes as he held his hands out before him.**

" **Now, Winter Schnee, it's time to educate you on how a real vampire does battle!"**

 **Winter stared in horror as two dogs burst from Jaune's body. His hands and severed head landed on the ground. Countless centipedes came crawling out instead of blood. Winter narrowly dodged the dogs' attacks, but they and the centipedes continued after her. Winter screamed and ran for the door. Jaune's arm came out of one of the dog's mouths and used The Jackal to shoot her in the knee, effectively severing her left leg from the rest of her body. She leaned against the wall and began hopping, another shot was fired and without her other leg her body slammed against the stairs.**

" **What are you?" she looked back and saw the centipedes begin to take form, "What in the hell are you?!"**

" **COME ON!" Jaune's voice came out of the mass that was forming, "GET UP! ATTACK ME! YOU'VE ONLY SUFFERED THE LOSS OF YOUR LEGS!" Jaune held Winter's leg, "SUMMON UP YOUR FAMILAIRS! TRANSFORM YOUR BODY! HEAL YOUR SEVERED LEGS AND STAND! The evening is still so young." He crushed her leg in his hand, "COME ON! HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! THE FUN HAS JUST BEGUN!" Winter stared into one giant eye in Jaune's chest, "COME ON! HURRY!"**

"I like this boy," Salem used her powers to make the seer grow to the size of a movie screen, "Show me more!"

" **MONSTER!" Winter cried causing Jaune to frown. Behind her the stares were covered with eyes. The ominous fog behind him disappeared.**

" **So," Jaune was so disappointed, "I see you for what you really are. You're pathetic. Nothing but a useless sniveling lump of meat!"**

" **Shut up!" Winter bit back, "You're nothing but the Goodwitch family toy! A dog for the Kingdom of Vale! Not even fit to call himself a vampire! A puppet of the-"**

"Ugh," Winter gagged, "Really me? Can't win so you result to petty insults?"

"What else can she do?" Ruby asked.

"Die with a little dignity?" Winter suggested.

"There's no such thing," Summer cryptically answered.

" **SILENCE!" Jaune roared. The dog came out of his shoulder made up entirely of eyes, "I'm a dog? Then you're dog food." The dog began tearing into Winter's flesh as her screams filled the air. Her hand flew in the air only to be caught and swallowed whole, "Was that really all you had?" Jaune stared at the puddle that was once Winter Schnee. "Such a shame I over estimated you. As a vampire, you were just a pathetic piece of shit. Now you're nothing but dog shit. The one upstairs didn't seem like much, but they're having more trouble with him than I would've expected."**

"You were right," Salem nodded, "That was entertaining. I can't wait to see what happens next."

"Huh guys," Qrow noticed the seer, "Is that who I think it is?"

"Holy shit," Ironwood gaped, "What do we do?"

"Enjoy the movie," Salem answered.

 **A ghoul grabbed yang's ankle, she pulled the hand from its wrist, and fell to the floor.**

" **My men," Glynda stared in horror, "They turned all my men into ghouls!"**

 **Yang screamed as they grouped her body. She closed her tearful eyes and then her eyes turned red. Glynda gasped as Yang tore one of them in half and sent his torso flying. She elbowed one so hard that the ghoul's skull collapsed. She slammed another's head directly into the floor. Using her vampiric reflexes, she decapitated another. She grabbed one's face and drove his head into the wall. She drove her fist through one's chest and smiled at the blood coating her hands.**

" **Yang!" Glynda shot up and ran toward her. She wrapped her arms around her as tight as she could manage, "That's enough! You can stop! Yang! Please. Stop!" Yang's sanity quickly returned, but her face quickly shifted to horror as the realization of what she had done came to her.**

Yang ran up the stairs and embraced Glynda in a hug. Glynda was shocked but returned it given the circumstances. Raven however was a tad jealous. She scoffed and returned to the movie.

 **Ozpin kicked Weiss against the wall, "It's all over girl."**

" **Nice," Weiss grabbed her stump, "Come on kill me limp dick."**

" **Oh," Ozpin shook his head, "I'm not going to kill you. Not until after you tell me who put you up to this. They I'll put you out of your misery." Ozpin stretched his wires from his teeth.**

" **Are you serious?" Weiss scoffed, "You fuckin pussy…"**

 **Ozpin bowed and let Glynda through.**

" **What up, bitch?!" Weiss smiled.**

 **Glynda shot Weiss in the chest three times, "We'll have no more of that. I'm pissed off. Who the hell are you people? What did you hope to accomplish here? Who is responsible for this? Start talking!"**

"Damn Glynda," Qrow watched, "I thought normal angry you was bad. Knight You is a whole nother level."

"You're about to die," Winter pinched the bridge of her nose, "And you're still acting like a fool."

"May as well," Weiss had given up, "I'm gonna die anyway."

 **Weiss began laughing with the smoke still coming out of the fresh bullet wounds.**

" **ANSWER!" Glynda demanded.**

" **Come on, bitch!" Weiss leaned against the wall, "You know! The ones that put the fucking chip in me." Weiss' knees snapped as she dragged herself to her feet, "The chip sending them information letting them know we fucked up. They can hear us talking. Every last goddamn word. And if they know I'm standing here all fucked up and dying, about to tell you everything, you think they're gonna let me fucking live?" Weiss then immediately burst into blue flames, "See? I so fucking told you! Well, since I'm fucked, how 'bout I piss a little wisdom on you dipshits? You can take this clue and shove it up your ass, bitch!" Weiss raised her middle finger, "Beware the Millennium!" Weiss' body turned to ash, but her hand didn't. it landed on the ground still flipping them off.**

" **That's it?" Glynda stared at the ash pile, "Millennium?"**

" **Are you alright Sir Glynda?" Ozpin asked.**

" **Yes I'm fine," Glynda answered, "And as for them, please, put them out of their misery Ozpin?"**

" **Of course," Ozpin nodded.**

" **Ozpin," one of the round table knights stepped up, "You will belay that order." He handed a revolver to Glynda, "The responsibility must fall to their leader. Sir Glynda, it's your duty."**

" **No, Sir Oobleck!" Ozpin intervened, "That's going too far!"**

" **This entire situation should have been prevented," Sir Oobleck continued, "Glynda, your lack of preparation is an offense. And since this facility is under your command, the responsibility is yours. The fact that these men died and were reanimated as these creatures is entirely your fault!"**

" **How dare you sir!" Ozpin yelled.**

" **Ozpin!" Glynda held him back and took Sir Oobleck's revolver. Yang was saddened as she watched Glynda approach one of the ghouls.**

" **I do not ask for your forgiveness," Glynda whispered, "This is my burden."**

" **Now Ozpin," Sir Oobleck resumed, "See what you can find out about this "Millennium," I expect you to work quickly and thoroughly."**

" **Yes," Ozpin nodded, "Of course sir."**

" **We will see them pay a thousand-fold for this horror," Sir Oobleck grit his teeth as Glynda pulled the trigger.**

"Think that's a little far Barty," Port looked at his teammate.

"I would say so," Oobleck nodded, "But I can see why he would go that far too…"

"I still don't like this version of you," Port shook his head, "That's no way to speak to a colleague."

 _ **The Next Day**_

" **Out of the Ninety-Six members of the Goodwitch Organization's Headquarters in Vale, only ten are left. Eight of which are only alive because they were away at the time of the attack. Excluding them, the only survivors from this ordeal are myself, and you Sir Glynda."**

"What about Jaune and Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Vampires aren't technically alive," Blake answered for her.

" **What about Jaune and Yang?" Glynda asked, "Aren't you forgetting about them?"**

" **I didn't count them because they were already dead, Sir."**

Ruby bashfully poked her fingers together.

" **Yes of course," Glynda sighed, "Any word yet on "Millennium"?"**

" **We solicited the resources of Valen Intelligence Service, as well as the National Public Safety Commission, who went so far as to rummage through the unsorted book stacks at the Valen museum. Internationally, we discovered seven occult and military enthusiast organizations throughout the kingdoms, including a "Star Wars" related club in Vacuo."**

" **Star Wars?" Glynda asked.**

" **The Millennium Falcon," Ozpin held some papers in his hand, "It's the name of Han Solo's ship."**

" **So, what you're telling me is that we have no solid leads at all?" Glynda sighed again.**

" **My apologies ma'am," Ozpin bowed, "At this point the only thing we know is its definition. A span of One Thousand Years."**

" **Now that is something," Glynda raised an eyebrow.**

" **Yes?" Ozpin asked.**

" **Don't you remember, Ozpin?" Glynda asked, "The Empire of the Millennium. The order theat sought the glory of a one-thousand-year kingdom and plunged the entire planet into a world war."**

 **Ozpin gasped as Glynda lit her cigar, "Sienna's Menagerie. The Millennium-order of the Third Reich."**

" **All is well gentlemen," Adam addressed a group of soldiers, "The experiment can move ahead."**

"What experiment am I talking about?" Adam asked.

"Whatever it is," Ghira shook his head, "It can't be good."

…

 **WHAT BETTER TIME TO RELEASE THIS THAN HALLOWEEN?!**

 **REMEMBER THE RULES:**

 **Always hand out candy to** **trick** **-** **or** **-treaters.**

 **Always wear a costume.**

 **NEVER blow out a Jack O'Lantern before midnight.**

 **Always respect the Dead.**

 **Always check your candy.**

 **STAY SPOOPY!**


	23. (XV) HellsArc 3

"I really hope this is HellsArc," Ruby shuddered, "That was too serious for me."

"You aren't the only one," Yang shuddered as well.

"Let's watch and find out," Blake shrugged.

" **Listen closely," Glynda addressed a room full of Faunus, "You've all been subcontracted as personal bodyguards to the Goodwitch Organization. As you've heard, we deal with special interest targets…terrorists, cultists, and individuals who believe themselves to be of mystical persuasions."**

 **The Wild Geese began laughing.**

" **Well," Ilia chuckled, "Is there anything else we should be informed about the facility?"**

"Ilia has an eyepatch," Adam pointed out, "Will she be a pirate in this one?"

"That'll be an interesting change of pace," Ilia thought it over.

" **Everything you need to know has already been covered in the briefing," Glynda explained.**

" **HEY KIDS WANNA SEE A DEAD BODY?!" Jaune phased through the wall.**

 **The Wild Geese began screaming and shitting themselves.**

"Yay!" Ruby cheered when she saw Jaune acting like before.

"This'll definitely be interesting," Ilia's eyes widened since she missed the first HellsArc.

" **STOP SCREAMING!" Glynda yelled.**

 **The Wild Geese began whimpering.**

" **So what's up with the pride meeting?" Jaune pulled the rest of himself through the wall.**

" **They're a mercenary group contracted to replace the soldiers we lost in the Schnee Sisters…"**

" **Wait," Jaune cut her off, "Are these guys Faunus?"**

" **We were forced to post mortality rates," Glynda explained, "They're the only ones who applied."**

" **We are really scraping the bottom of the barrel here," Jaune shook his head.**

"Fuck you!" Ghira and Adam flipped off the screen.

"Oh yeah," Blake sighed, "Forgot Silly Jaune is also kind of a dick."

" **Sir Glynda," Ozpin ran in, "I apologize; I tried to stop him. But when I pleaded with him, he merely responded with, and mind my French-no offense."**

" **Some taken," Ilia sat in her chair.**

" **Fuck the police," Ozpin quoted, "He then proceeded to tilt every painting he passed on the way here."**

 **Jaune descended into maniacal laughter.**

 **Glynda sighed, "Oh god, walking through that hallway is going to give me such a headache now."**

Glynda groaned just thinking about walking through a hallway where every painting had been tilted.

" **Speaking of headaches," Ozpin handed her a letter, "A very curious letter arrived for you in the mail."**

" **James Ironwood?" Glynda read off the letter, "That filthy, slimy, arrogant, Atlesian PIECE OF SHIT!"**

 **The scene jumped to them meeting in a hallway.**

" **Ironwood," Glynda greeted with a smile, "Oh it's been far too long."**

"Really?" Ironwood asked, "I mean come on, you're not even trying to hide the fact you don't want to be there."

" **I agree," Ironwood smiled, "You're no longer that little girl I used to know. Look at all those lines on your face."**

"What did you just say James?" Glynda's eyes were a dark purple as she glared at him.

"Nothing," he answered keeping his eyes on the screen, "Nothing at all. Nope."

"I think he said you had some wrinkles," Raven shrugged.

" **And look at all the brown on your nose," Glynda retorted, "How is the pope doing?"**

" **Better than your failing church,"**

" **Well, not all of us can exploit the Faunus,"**

" **But you don't waste time making money off Rupert Murdoch!"**

"You don't deny the faunus exploits?" Adam asked.

"I don't deny anything," Ironwood snapped.

"So Glynda does have wrinkles then?" Raven asked.

Ironwood kept his mouth shut this time.

" **Honestly," Jaune stepped through the wall, "If you're going to have a dickfighting competition with a woman, you must have started off with the world's cruelest handicap. Which I'm sure benefits the nine-year-old boy you have chained up in your private Vatican jet. Which was paid for how? Oh yeah, generous donations from your followers to spread the word of god…all over his back."**

 **Ironwood crushed his glasses in his hand, "NIKOS!"**

 **On the other end of the hallway was Pyrrha. She drove one of her spears into the ground, while still holding four in her other hand, "Serve the lord with fear and rejoice with trembling."**

" **YOU GOT ME A PRESENT?!" Jaune drew both of his guns.**

 **Pyrrha began walking toward him, "Kiss the son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wraith is kindled but a little."**

 **Both Jaune and Pyrrha readied their weapons with giggling the serious arousal.**

"Pyrrha," Nora held up her hands, "Pyrrha, tone it down a bit."

"Jaune's doing it too!" Pyrrha protested.

"He's not here right now, but all the same, you're getting way too into it…"

" **Right this way Group B!" Yang led a group of old people between them, "That's right! Right'n front'a everyone else! You're righty! You're used to it! We're going to look at art and paintings, which I believe are also art. I don't know! I'm cockney! I'm uncultured!"**

"The first step is admission," Weiss nodded.

"Oh shove off," Yang rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry Yang," Weiss pulled a book of comical proportions from nowhere, "I have the basics on everything right here."

"Where were you hiding that?" Yang asked.

"Don't worry about it," Weiss waved her off.

" **Ugh," Jaune holstered his guns, "Welp, my boner's gone."**

" **Aye," Pyrrha lowered her spears, "Kind of a mood killer."**

" **Wanna try this again some other time?" Jaune asked.**

" **Of course!" Pyrrha turned and began walking away, "Kill you later you monstrous heathen."**

" **You too," Jaune turned around, "You catholic sociopath. Whoops tautology!"**

"Aw!" Nora booed, "Come on! Let's see Zombie Pyrrha and Vampire Jaune fight again!"

"I'd rather see them fight in JauneSing," Pyrrha admitted, "This is funny, but I wanna see myself in a serious point of view."

"Party pooper," Nora crossed her arms.

"When you're the zombie in the scenario, then you'll get an opinion," Pyrrha flicked Nora's forehead.

"Fine," Nora pouted, "Fair enough."

" **You want some coffee?" Ironwood, clearly freaked out offered.**

 **Glynda let out the breath she was holding, "I'd love some." They were now outside, "So…the letter you sent never specified the purpose of this meeting."**

" **Consider this," Ironwood tapped the briefcase with his finger, "A business transaction. I have two pieces of information that I wish to trade with you."**

" **And what would those be?" Glynda asked.**

" **First is the true identity of Millennium," Ironwood explained.**

" **Who?" Glynda asked.**

" **The organization who assailed your compound," Ironwood explained.**

" **Oh yeah," Glynda nodded, "There was some debate over that."**

" **And the whereabouts of said Millennium," Ironwood continued.**

" **And what could you possibly want in exchange?" Glynda asked.**

" **Oh," Ironwood shrugged, "Nothing major. Just two simple apologies from you and your subordinate known as: "TheCrimsonFuckr!" also known as Jaune."**

" **So you want an apology from me?" Glynda asked.**

" **I figured, but didn't want to assume," Ironwood nodded.**

" **And by chance what would I have to apologize to the Iscariot Organization for?"**

" **Well, originally I'd ask you to apologize for being a scum-sucking, blaspheming, ignorant, Protestant pig sow! But in this case, the sins of your pet vampire are of greater concern."**

" **What did he do THIS time?"**

" **Over the last two-hundred years, he has sent no less than two-hundred death threats to the pope. By carrier pigeon, no less! They just fly right into the Vatican! The latest one read as such:"**

 **Jaune's voice took over the reading of his own letter:**

 **Dear Chief Replacement,**

 **I wanted to send you this friendly little letter to inform you of your imminent demise. If you're curious about the frequency of which I've sent these letters, it is merely to instill as much fear as I can. As if basting a turkey. Which I will then proceed to have sex with. That's right. I'm going to FUCK the fear turkey! Follow me The CrimsonFuckr!**

 **Sincerely Jaune**

" **I can't help but ponder the frightful headway we'd make if her put that sort of energy into his job," Glynda read some of the other letters.**

"I wonder if he's real," Ruby pulled out her scroll, "HOLY SHIT HE IS!"

"Launguae!" Summer scolded.

"Sorry mommy," Ruby bashfully admitted, "But he has a real account!"

Summer took her daughter's scroll, "Huh, well alrighty then…"

" **Soo…" Ironwood prodded, "That apology~?"**

Qrow readied his camera to record this once in a lifetime opportunity.

 **Gylnda sighed, "I'm sorr-"**

 **The scene cutaway before she could finish the sentence.**

"Aw!" Qrow slumped in his seat.

"Ha!" Glynda mocked.

" **So that's where they are," Glynda told Ozpin.**

" **Interesting," Ozpin nodded, "But do you think Jaune would go?"**

" **Not as long as it's an order," Glynda shook her head.**

" **I think I have an idea," Ozpin smiled, "Did you know you have vacation days?"**

" **I HAVE VACATION DAYS?!" Jaune was clearly shocked, "YOU MEAN I CAN LEAVE ANYTIME I WANT AND NOT GET YELLED AT OVER THE PHONE?! Because seriously, it's always over the phone. Mostly because I don't like to argue with her in person. I get a boner it's super awkward."**

"How many boys are in that situation in real life?" Yang nudged Blake.

"Yang no," Blake shook her head, "I don't need that image in my head."

"Interesting question," Oobleck thought about it.

"Shut up all of you!" Glynda roared.

"Now everyone check their pants," Mercury chuckled as a drink fell on him from above.

"Do we have vacation days?" Port asked.

The staff then turned to Ozpin who was sweating bullets.

" **Quite," Ozpin nodded.**

" **Well that settles it, I'm going traveling!"**

" **Yes, you can go anywhere you wish, except for Vacuo. Sir Glynda was quite insistent you NEVER visit Vacuo."**

 **Jaune stood there with a smile, "Taking the Huntress and the Chameleon!"**

"Three guesses on where he's going," Glynda sighed.

"I only need two," Ozpin sighed.

 **Soon enough they where on a jet. Jaune was sitting in his chair twirling a cup of wine in his hand.**

" **So where is the Huntress?" Ilia asked reading a newspaper.**

" **Downstairs," Jaune answered.**

" **Isn't that the cargo hold?" Ilia lowered the paper.**

 **Yang was weeping inside her coffin, "I have a fear of flying, coffins, and tight places-heesss…!"**

" **Jesus wants a hug!" Jaune yelled at the monument on top of a hill.**

"Hey!" Sun pointed at the screen, "That's part of my home asshole!"

"I thought you were from Mistral?" Blake asked.

Sun was taken back, "I didn't think you were listening…"

Blake blushed.

"I go to school in Mistral," Sun went back on topic, "But I was born in Vacuo."

" **There we are," the hotel clerk spoke, "A regular two bedroom."**

" **Hilarious," Jaune chuckled, "No, I want the penthouse."**

" **I'm sorry sir," the nervous clerk shook, "Mr. Chevy Chase currently has that room reserved."**

" **I said," Jaune put his finger between his eyes, "You want to give me the penthouse."**

" **I want to give you the penthouse," the clerk was under his spell.**

" **And you want to kick out Chevy Chase because he's an asshole," Jaune continued.**

" **And I want to kick out Chevy Chase because he's an asshole."**

" **See this Chameleon?" Jaune chuckled, "I can make him say whatever I want. White Chicks was amazing."**

" **White Chicks was amazing."**

" **He believes it too," Jaune clarified.**

" **EUGH!" Ilia shuddered.**

Ilia shuddered, "Dear gods."

"I liked it," Ruby poked her fingers together.

"And that's why we never ask you for movie ideas," Yang teased.

" **Scarlet Tampon to Sticky Sock," a spy stood outside the penthouse doors, "TheCrimsonFuckr has checked in. I repeat TheCrimsonFuckr has checked in. Also, I'm choosing the goddamn nicknames next time!"**

"That's too close for comfort," Winter shuddered.

"Schnee?" Ironwood asked.

"The nicknames soldiers give one another," Winter shook her head, "Some of them aren't that far off…"

"Oh great," Ironwood rubbed his forehead.

"See Jimmy?" Qrow chuckled, "You got no one who respects you. Especially since you got Scarlet Tampon and Sticky Sock."

"Fuck. Off. Qrow," Ironwood spoke into his hand.

" **So," Ilia stepped out of the room, "If zis doesn't sound weird…would you…maybe like to get a drink later? Hit up a club?"**

" **You're not my friend," Jaune stated, "You're my bodyguard, make past two weeks and I might learn your name. Till then you're spare blood."**

" **Jeez," Spare Blood turned around, "Fine."**

" **Also tell that guy to stop spying one me!" Jaune yelled, "It's creepy!"**

" **Shit! Shit! Shit!" the spy ran away.**

" **Now that I'm all by myself," Jaune smiled, "I can just kick back and reeeela-."**

 **Lisa Lavender was reporting, "Shots fired from the penthouse suite on the top floor. The initial SWAT Team has not reported back, leading officials to fear the worst."**

"Not even ten seconds," Weiss looked at her watch, "That's got to be a record."

"Since it's nighttime," Blake pointed at the screen, "I'd say more than ten seconds have past."

"Meh," Weiss just shrugged.

 **A picture of Jaune and Yang appeared, causing Ilia sitting in her underwear to empty the beer she was drinking at the TV.**

" **The terrorist duo inside is comprised of a young human and some Ozzy Osborne looking motherfucker."**

 **Pyrrha was sitting on her bed laughing.**

" **On the phone," Glynda demanded, "Get-him-on-the-phone! I-want-him-on-the-phone-RIGHT-NOW!"**

 **[ I'm a bitch! I'm a bitch! ]**

"And like that I have a new ringtone," Qrow held his sides with laughter.

"I hate you," Glynda hissed.

Undenounced to them, Port, Oobleck, Ironwood, and even Ozpin had secretly recorded their new ringtone as well.

" **Hold on a minute," Jaune looked at his phone, "I gotta take this." BEEP, "Yello?"**

 **Glynda clearly frustrated, "What. Did you do?"**

" **Alright," Jaune spoke, "But you can't be mad at me."**

" **What?" Glynda repeated, "Did you do?"**

" **Ok," Jaune began, "FIRST, I was minding my own business."**

" **BULLSHIT!" Glynda slammed her hands on the desk.**

"BULLSHIT!" Glynda and Winter screamed with the one on screen.

"Like three peas in a pod, aren't they?" Ruby whispered to Weiss.

"Well they all take discipline seriously for their jobs," Weiss shrugged.

" **I WAAAS!" Jaune whined.**

" **And exactly WHAT happened whilst you were MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?"**

" **So I was just chillaxing in my room like a baller," Jaune clearly stopped caring, "Then all of a sudden these shmucks kicked in my door!"**

 **The SWAT team previously mentioned kicked down the door.**

" **One of them yelled out: "Get on your knees!" And I responded with: "I'm not your mother last night!" And they took exception to that."**

 **The SWAT team then riddled Jaune with bullets. Chunks of flesh went flying as his remains landed against the window.**

" **But you know how that song and dance goes," His fingers twitched.**

 **With his teeth Jaune ripped one of their heads off. Sliced one vertically in half with his hand. Another horizontally because he could.**

" **Aaand I killed all but one of them."**

" **What happened to the last one?"**

 **He put his sidearm to his head and pulled the trigger.**

" **Pussed out like a BITCH! Silver-lining, I can cancel my room service!"**

" **So," a corrupt cop spoke to a table, "We've sent like, ten guys up there and we haven't heard back. Think everything's alright?"**

" **Naturalmente," Roman smiled, "Don't worry about it. Of course, everything's fine."**

"Ooooh!" Roman perked up, "Vampire Me, this'll be fun!"

Neo nodded.

"I wonder if there are Vampire versions of ourselves," Mercury leaned over to Cinder.

"I want to see a vampire me," Cinder tilted her head.

" **Well, no matter what happens we're still getting our immortality, right?"**

" **Buddy, my friend, do I look like the kinda guy who would go back on an agreement? By the way, you may want to send more men."**

"Yes," Ruby answered immediately, "Yes, you do."

"Ye have little faith Red," Roman shook his head.

"No I got plenty faith," Ruby shrugged, "Just not in you."

"You're breaking my heart Red," Roman had tears running down his cheeks.

"Damn Rubes," Yang looked at her sister, "That's Weiss levels of cold!"

"I'm so proud of my teammate!" Weiss smiled.

" **Well, that sounds reasonable!"**

 **Chewing sounds were heard through the speaker, "You've been like really quiet for like five minutes," Jaune spoke with his mouth stuffed, "Oh I know why you're angry! It's because I went to Vacuo, isn't it?"**

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Summer scolded.

Ruby, Yang, Tai, Qrow, and even Raven shrunk in their seats. Each one had a different flashback to when Summer lost her cool.

Glynda shuddered, knowing all that evil was bottled up in that sweet Summer Rose.

" **Jaune," Glynda sighed, "Put the Huntress on the phone."**

" **Really?" Jaune asked, "You want to talk to? Ok, bye, whatever," Jaune handed the phone to Yang, "take the fucking call."**

" **What does she want?" Yang asked.**

" **I don't fucking know, she wanted to talk to you. I'm going for a walk."**

" **Ello?" Yang asked.**

" **Whatever you do, do not let Jaune leave that room under any circumstance!"**

" **Actually he just left. He said something about going for a walk."**

" **NOOO!" Glynda screamed.**

"Did you really expect anything different?" Raven asked Glynda.

"Apparently I did," Glynda sighed watching herself onscreen.

 **More SWAT men were waiting for Jaune outside the room. He casually walked by them, while they were trembling in fear.**

" **Hey guys how's your health plan?" he asked.**

 **One of them started shooting.**

" **APPARENTLY IT'S GREAT!" Jaune began tearing them limb from limb and shooting them.**

" **Ozpin," Glynda fell into her chair, "Be honest with me…"**

 **Jaune followed those retreating into the elevator.**

" **What are we looking at in terms of collateral?"**

" **The Jaune kind," Ozpin answered as Jaune stepped out of the now red elevator. Using his powers Jaune threw the ones into the lobby outside impaling them on the flagpoles.**

"How bad does it have to be to have your own league?" Ruby asked.

"Ask your Uncle," Glynda growled.

"Hey!" Qrow objected.

"Uncle Qrow?" Ruby tilted her head.

"Don't listen to her Ruby," Qrow shook his head.

"Bad luck," Raven snickered.

" **I heard you know how to make an entrance," Roman stepped forward, "If I had known you were going to do all this, I'd have hung some Union Jacks for you."**

" **Hold on," Jaune began down the stairs, "Did you put all this on for me? Who are you?"**

" **I am Roman Torchwick," He bowed introducing himself, "Or the "Dandy Man." I may or may not have fed a lie to the local policia that in return for your capture, I would give them immortality."**

" **And they fucking bought that?" Jaune laughed.**

" **Like discount peixe," Roman chuckled.**

" **You cheeky dick-waffle!" Jaune applauded, "So then, what's the deal?"**

" **A cute choice of words," Roman pulled a deck of cards from his jacket, "I wish to play a card game, vampiro."**

" **What?" Jaune sighed, "We talking fifty-two pick up?"**

" **No," Roman shook his head, "More like fifty-two CUT UP!"**

"Oh," Roman watched, "I wonder if I could try that."

Neo had a deck of playing cards in her pocket. Roman began doing simple magic tricks he learned when he was a kid.

 **Roman sent his cards flying at Jaune destroying the stairs.**

" **Hit me!" Jaune taunted jumping away from Roman's cards. "Whoop!" one of Roman's cards obliterated a SWAT Team.**

" **Oh my god," Glynda watched, "Why are they doing this outside?!"**

 **Roman made a car and the people surrounding it explode.**

" **At least he's just dodging them."**

 **Glynda just had to tempt fate. Jaune returned fire and shot innocent civilians.**

" **Oh come on that was on purpose!"**

"Maybe Glynda has your semblance in this one," Raven chuckled.

"Maybe," Qrow snorted.

 **Jaune shot Roman in the neck. He wasn't bleeding, his body turned into playing cards.**

" **So," Jaune watched the cards blow away, "He can make card clones." An explosion sent Jaune face-first into the dirt.**

" **You activated my trap card," Roman snapped his fingers and a circle of cards appeared on Jaune's back.**

" **Oh boy!" he yelled as the cards exploded.**

 **Roman chuckled.**

" **HEY DANDY DICK!" Jaune screamed from the side of the wall, "You missed! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!" he repeated as he ran up the wall.**

"Damn," Roman juggled the cards, "Now that's something else."

Pyrrha made a pair of lobster claws with her hands. Nora, Ren, Ilia, Cinder, and Glynda joined her as they scuttled around the theater.

"What?" Ozpin's glasses hit the floor.

"Seriously?" Pyrrha asked.

"For god's sake watch a cartoon," Salem barked from the seer.

"Just remember," Ren warned, "They say it's a comedy, but it'll make you cry like a little bitch."

Everyone blinked at the three as they sat back down like nothing happened.

"Seymore Asses," Cinder sniffled.

"I am so confused right now," Ruby whispered to Weiss.

"Don't look at me!" Weiss shrugged, "I have no idea what just happened!"

" **Do you think Roman can take him?" a corrupt cop asked another.**

" **Calm down," another spoke, "It's fine. I'm just focused on what I'm going to do with my immortality."**

" **Joke's on you I'm getting double immortality!"**

" **One," Ilia disguised as a SWAT member counted as she killed the entire tent. She began humming La Marseillaise as she walked away from the tent. She lit a cigarette and the tent exploded, "Now, let's see what he thinks about having zat drink with me…"**

"Barking up the wrong tree," Blake smirked at Ilia turning pink.

"Shut up Blake," Ilia couldn't help but keep turning pink.

"Anyone who says: "Double Immortality" deserves to be shot," Adam sighed.

 **Jaune winced as he dragged himself across the rooftop, "Could use a drink right now. Not used to seeing this much of my own blood anymore. Guy's got magic cards, and magic hands."**

" **Tell me Jaune," Dandy Dick was behind him, "Are you a betting man?"**

" **I believe that's your shtick," Jaune answered.**

" **I'd like to make a little bet with you, vagabundo. I'll end your life, with one hand."**

" **I'll take that bet," Jaune rose to his feet, "Now…HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT!"**

 **Dandy threw two cards at him and they hit Jaune but did no damage to him.**

" **Oh shame for you," Jaune put his hands in front of his face, "You activated my Joan of Arc."**

"Finally," Salem perked up seeing Jaune's eyes cover his body.

"Are you watching a movie?" Watts asked stepping into the room.

"Yes," Salem shrugged, "Why?"

"It's just," Hazel shrugged, "We've never seen you watch a movie before…"

"Well, none are as entertaining as this," Salem motioned to the seer looking at the screen, "You know what?" Salem snapped her fingers and they were all in the theater now, "I want to see this on a proper screen."

" **What?" Dandy asked as he was shot, "What the shit?"**

" **GET SOOOOOOME!" Yang screamed as she emptied her magazine at Dandy. Who used his cards to form a shield. "Trump This!" Yang fired her Harkonnon. Dandy threw a card splitting the bullet in two.**

"Yang," Weiss sighed, "Please don't turn into another Ruby."

"Please," Yang scoffed, "Where do you think SHE got it from?"

Weiss whined and slumped over.

" **I'm getting real sick of this shit," Dandy growled.**

" **You and me both," Jaune came up behind him, grabbed his wrist and kicked his knee from the inside, "Now show me your hand DAAANDY MAAAAN!"**

 **Jaune's muscles bulged and Dandy met his hand with a card. The two forces caused an explosion shaking the roof. But ultimately Jaune won the battle, ripping through the card, and Dandy Man's arm. He screamed but Jaune grabbed his head and pulled it to him.**

"Aw man," Roman slumped, "Well, it was fun while it lasted. I mean, I had him remove the restraints on his power. That's got to count for something."

"He's not wrong," Salem and her Dark Circle had to agree.

" **Hey Dandy Man?"**

" **Huh?"**

" **You lost."**

" **Uh-huh."**

" **And now I have to read your mind…"**

" **Huh?"**

" **By drinking all your blood!"**

" **EH?!"**

" **Om nom nom nom!" Jaune sank his teeth into his neck and was met with the very psychedelic visuals, "The fuck is this? The fuck is that!? The fuck are those?!" The psychedelics ended, and he saw Adam standing in front of the White Fang banner. Jaune was letting out some rather lewd giggling because he was right.**

"What was that?" Mercury had to rub his eyes.

"There used to be an old T.V. show called: "Dandy Man," Glynda explained, "That was its opening."

"Are we ignoring the lewd laughter Jaune just did?" Weiss asked.

"Doing the best we can Ice-Princess," Yang tried not to think about it.

"Or did you enjoy his lewdness?" Blake whispered.

" **Master?" Yang asked.**

" **Hold on!" Jaune held up a finger, "I need to tweet about this."**

 **Glynda was checking her twitter when she saw Jaune's tweet go up: "It's the White Fang! Calledit! Bitcheslovecannons! FuckmotheringVampire!"**

"Not the time nor place," Glynda sighed.

"That means it's the perfect time for Jaune," Ruby shook her head.

"Bitches love cannons?" Yang tilted her head.

"Again," Glynda sighed, "It's from an old show: "Send that bitch a smiley face. Bitches love smiley faces." Now it just matches whatever people want it to."

Everyone turned to Glynda.

"What?!" she snapped.

"The hell kind of T.V. do you watch?" Qrow asked.

" **Sir Glynda?" Ozpin asked, "Is something the matter?"**

" **It's the fucking…"**

" **White Fang!" Adam said in a sing-song voice.**

" **I am so sorry, major, for ze failure of ze Dandy Man," Ghira apologized.**

" **Ah," Adam waved him off, "Give it a rest, Herr Doktor. He was a HUMAN DOG who died feeding a much bigger beast a valuable piece of information."**

" **But major, now they know our plans…"**

" **Ah, herr doktor, but that IS the plan. Now zat zey know our plan, zey will plan around our plan, and so ve shall in turn plan around ze plan that zey are planning around our plan!"**

" **Your brilliance knows no bounds!" Herr Doktor nodded.**

"Really dad?" Blake deadpanned.

"It makes sense," Ghira sighed, "If you were a child."

"All I heard was that it makes sense," Adam smiled.

"Ugh," Ghira and Blake groaned.

" **And regardless," Adam pressed a button on the remote control lifting his chair into the hangar above them, "We have one advantage that zey sorely lack…ZEPPELINS!"**

…

 **You know, it wasn't even an hour since the last one was posted that my inbox was flooded with people begging for the abridged version. I have to say this, what the actual fuck? I told you I was going to do BOTH didn't I? Ok mini rant over.**

 **Now I'm getting requests for Infinity War.**

 **One as a continuation to Civil War**

 **One as Thanos/Jaune with a whole cast redesign.**

 **I don't know what to do since both have a lot of movies before them, not to mention if I keep Jaune as Captain America, or use him as Thanos, it would mean using movies where Jaune wouldn't even be present at all. It would kinda go against the Infinite Realities of JAUNE ARC wouldn't it?**

 **I dunno if I'll do it or not. I got seven more Hellsing volumes to do. Only time will tell.**

 **Don't forget to support the Genital WarThunder P/a/treon!**

 **I'll see y'all next time!**

 **(Edit: Well this is embarrassing, I read it over and realized it was only half done…I'm sorry!)**


	24. (XVI) JauneSing

**So, HellsArc won. (What a shock…)**

 **But what really caught me off guard was the fact that, "Continue doing what I'm doing" and "Stop and move on to the next reality" were fucking tied for the LONGEST TIME.**

 **I wanted to both but then episode nine came out, and I FUCKING HATED IT. Many people hate the scene where Alucard talks to God, and I'm one of them. I can't stand watching that scene. I was gonna do 4, 5, 6, and 7 abridged but I can't. It's not funny anymore. I'm sorry if this pisses a lot of you off, but I can't bring myself to do it. This will be the last Hellsing chapter, and then we're moving on.**

 **Sorry this is later than I promised, Thanksgiving week is a real shitshow at my job, and if you noticed my picture change, then there's another reason I haven't been updating. Except I'm not apologizing for him, so yeah.**

 **Now, Lord Red Night. Are you asking if I'm under the influence when I write HellsArc? I'm offended good sir! I'll have you know I'm naturally stupid!**

 **Also, Phoenix Warehouse Productions wants me to inform you about a poll of his own. A fic about all the gifts he's given over the years. Closes on the first. I voted, now you go vote too! (Probably over by now…)**

 **Anyway, I've ranted long enough. Let's go!**

…

"Anyone else getting the feeling we're missing a lot of the story?" Ruby asked.

" **That's my fault," WarThunder appeared, "I wanted to show you more HellsArc I truly did. But…have you ever seen something so bad, you rage quit on the entire series? Season 2 of Tokyo Ghoul…"**

"What?" Ruby tilted her head.

" **Nevermind," WarThunder resumed, "The point is, the latest episode of HellsArc pissed me off so much, I don't want to deal with the series anymore. So, now I will do the rest of JauneSing and we're moving on from here."**

"But won't that piss off people who wanted to see HellsArc?" Weiss pointed out.

" **Probably," WarThunder nodded, "But this is my decision, and I'll deal with the fallout that comes with it. Now, on with the show."**

 **Vale, the once great city was now bathed in fire, littered with the corpses of the fallen, and the cries of the wounded filled the air. One Faunus looked up and saw a white light erupt from the sky.**

" **An angel…" he wheezed.**

"Nope," Ironwood shook his head, "Flares, lots and lots of flares."

"Seems like a waste don't you think?" Glynda asked.

"A little excessive I agree," Ironwood nodded.

 **The blood flowing into the sewers took form and spelled out: "JauneSing."**

 **Another appeared in they sky, "An angel!" a young boy looked from his bedroom window.**

" **They're angels!" one man propped up against some debris watched as another appeared.**

" **We have come for you!" Ironwood spoke into several microphones, "We are the righteous soldiers of the angel of death! And tonight the world below shall know judgment!" Ironwood was inside a glass car being carried by a helicopter. While behind him was an entire armada of helicopters, "Vale is guilty! The heathens are guilty! You are all now sentenced…to your death! Death! Death! Death! Death! I can offer you my pity, but forgiveness? NEVER! Now, prepare to be purged from the earth! Mowed down like grass, crushed like bugs!"**

 **Ironwood descended into insane laughter, while across the sky a zeppelin was approaching.**

"Wow," Ironwood gasped, "I am clearly off my rocker."

"Just a little bit," Ozpin stared wide eyed at the screen.

"This brings back memories," Ghira had a flashback to his childhood when Faunus were hunted for no reason other than just being Faunus.

" **Who knew?" Adam chuckled, "That kid can really put on quite a show when his heart is in it."**

" **Major!" Ghira approached, "Major, this is dangerous! Please, won't you come back inside?"**

" **Doctor?" Adam looked over to Ghira, "Is the special project ready?"**

" **Yessir," Ghira nodded, "It has been prepared precisely to your specifications. I should remind you it is untested, and extremely risky."**

" **Of course, doctor," Adam returned to look at the carnage, "This is most splendid news."**

" **Well," Ghira smiled, "It is an outstanding specimen."**

" **Adequate work Doc," Blake deadpanned.**

 **Ghira shifted from joy to anger, "It's not like you've done any work idiot!"**

 **Blake shook with anger, "I've done plenty of work! I was watching Ruby attack the Goodwitch house and everything!"**

"Wait what?!" Ruby jumped, "Aw come on, I wanna see that!"

"Considering you're not with them now," Yang began, "I don't think you do."

Ruby half pouted/half agreed.

"Who am I experimenting on?" Ghira asked.

" **Oh," Ghira backed away, "Yes."**

" **ACHTUNG!" Adam announced, "All units, equip your ultraviolet battlements, and prepare to muster!"**

 **The White Fang soldiers on the ground began putting on black gas masks with red lenses.**

" **Muster the battalion!" they chanted, "Muster the battalion!"**

 **On the other side, Ironwood's helicopters landed unloading his soldiers. A white army with rifles and shields, they formed a phalanx while the White Fang stood across from them with their weapons at the ready.**

" **Enemies stand to our left," Ironwood spoke, "Enemies stand to our right. Eradicate all who stand before you! Execute them all! Kill them! Destroy!" Ironwood snapped his fingers and the helicopters still in the air opened fire.**

Ghira's hands tightened around his armrests. Kali wasn't doing any better. The younger faunus had heard about the atrocities committed in the past. But knowing about it and experiencing it are two different things.

 **Adam's zeppelin began to take some damage. Ghira looked up and saw Adam still standing, "Major! Do you hear me? Please, come back inside! The armor plating won't hold for long! Major…" when he stopped to look at Adam, it looked like he was conducting an orchestra, "He thinks that it is music. Music of the battlefield…The Major…he's conducting it! The battle is his symphony, and we are his instruments! Great howling instruments, wailing his cacophonous notes! How could anything stand against him?"**

"Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Yang remembered what she said in the previously, "If there any normal people in this universe?"

"I'm going with no," Weiss shook her head.

 **One of Ironwood's helicopters flew right in front of Adam.**

" **We've found our target!" the pilot yelled, "He's on top of the airship!"**

" **What the hell is he doing?" the co-pilot asked, "He's crazy! A mad ghost of war! DIE!"**

 **He took aim, but before he could fire, a blue wire wrapped around it and effectively deiced it into several smaller pieces.**

" **Quick and excellent work, my butler," Adam stopped composing. He turned to see a much younger Ozpin in a black suit, with color returned to his hair. Adam began laughing, "A plan half a century in the works! A death's head mark for the Goodwitch's Angel of Death!"**

"Ozpin?" Glynda turned to face him.

"Working for the enemy?" Salem raised an eyebrow.

"That's interesting," Raven chuckled, "Rather than send your minions to their death, you're killing them yourself."

Ozpin remained silent curious what would happen next.

 **Meanwhile…**

" **Didn't they come to save us?" a dying man asked while Ironwood's forces were currently mowing down everything they saw. Civilians included.**

" **Die! Die! Die!" Ironwood laughed, "Kill them all! Filthy vermin! Feel the full force of our wrath! The power of the Vatican! The only good protestant is a dead Protestant!"**

 **On the ground, Glynda was staring up at the sky scowling, "You have betrayed us, Ironwood."**

" **Sneak attacks and betrayals are par for the course in war," Pyrrha spoke, "In some circumstances, I'd even say praise worthy. Especially against heathens such as yourself. However…this…this is different. I cannot let this pass. Ironwood, you have become enraptured by your own authority. Intoxicated by your power. We are meant to be mere instruments of a higher power. I am but a blade wielded from on high. A guillotine blade in the service of God. But this Ironwood, what you do tonight is not in the service of God. It is in the service of power! You, Ironwood! You've turned your back on god!"**

"You finally got your wish," Nora nudged Pyrrha, "Serious Zombie Pyrrha."

"Absolute power, corrupts absolutely," Pyrrha shook her head.

"A child knows more than a headmaster," Raven scoffed, "I really hope Vacuo's headmaster has more sense then you two and Lionheart."

" **Sister Nikos," Nora interrupted, "You need focus on your mission, your orders. Ironwood wants Sir Glynda Goodwitch taken into custody immediately."**

 **The paladins all pointed their guns at Glynda's head.**

" **I don't like this…" Pyrrha hissed.**

" **What you like doesn't enter into this Sister!" Nora yelled, "Understand?"**

" **I still don't like this!" Pyrrha yelled back.**

 **Dropping from the sky was Yang. Her arm was missing, with red aura replacing it, and her clothes turned red are well. She landed in from of Glynda and used her aura arm to force the Paladins away from her.**

"Ok," Yang had finally had enough, "What is it with this universe and limb removal?"

"I'd like an answer for that as well," Weiss raised the hand that was removed.

" **Yang/Yang Xiao-Long!" Nora and Ren yelled.**

" **Are you alright Sir Glynda?" Yang asked with a distorted voice, "Any injuries?"**

" **I'm adequate," Glynda answered, "How's the headquarters?"**

" **We were attacked by enemy soldiers," Yang reported, "We managed to kill them all." There was a flash of a head on the wall. Slaughtered Faunus bodies strewn across the mansion, "But the mansion has been destroyed…and Miss. Amitola," her voice began to shake, "She's dead sir."**

" **I see," Glynda exhaled a puff of smoke, "You drank from Miss. Amitola, didn't you? You've finally become a vampire."**

" **Yes, I have," Yang smiled.**

"I'm dead," Ilia sighed, "And you drank my blood?"

"And coping my design?" Ruby glared.

"For the last time Ruby," Yang sighed, "You can't own a color scheme!"

"Still!" Ruby pointed the Finger of Doom at her sister, "Go back to Yellow! You had it in the previous episodes!"

"Maybe drinking blood changes your clothing's color!" Yang defended herself, "Jaune has a red trench-coat!"

"Weiss didn't!" Ruby argued, "Winter didn't! Roman didn't!"

Yang was turning red as the argument continued.

 **Ren drew his sword, and Nora drew her guns.**

" **Stand down," Pyrrha ordered, "Even with your powers combined, that girl is way too much for you to handle. Yang Xiao-Long the vampire…I've got to say, you are starting to become quite the fearsome creature."**

" **Yes Sister," Yang nodded, 'And I'm getting stronger all the time. I don't think I'll be afraid of anything ever again."**

" **It's as if your eyes have become windows to a bottomless abyss," Pyrrha continued, "It's striking, considering how human you look otherwise."**

"Is Pyrrha flirting?" Blake chuckled, "She's really bad at it."

"Not the time nor place Zombie me," Pyrrha sighed.

"What?" Yang questioned, "You don't think my eyes are windows to a bottomless abyss?"

"What kind of line is that anyway?" Pyrrha asked no one.

"I'd go home with you if you'd said that to me," Cinder added her opinion to the mix.

"Of course you would…" Mercury sighed.

 _I must remember that,_ Emerald thought about it.

 **Suddenly, Pyrrha and Yang gasped as they looked toward the docks. A haunting mist was coming in, and inside it was a ship. It had the twisted burnt out remains of a jet impaled on it and standing on the deck with a twisted smile on his face, was none other than Jaune.**

" **I feel it…" Yang couldn't help but smile, "He's returning!"**

 **Glynda smiled.**

 **Pyrrha chuckled, "This is fantastic. It all comes crashing down…"**

" **There…" the radio spoke, "There is something coming into dock!"**

" **What is it?"**

" **A…Ghost Ship…"**

"More like vampire ship," Yang said.

"Boo," Nora gave a thumbs down.

"That was bad," Salem shook her head.

 **The ship was still in the water when Jaune drew both of his pistols. His eyes glowed bloody red as he took off sprinting across the deck. He jumped off the bow and landed quite gracefully in-between the White Fang and Atlesian soldiers. Pyrrha bible teleported to Jaune with her spears in each hand. Falling from the White Fang's zeppelin was Raven, she impacted the ground with quite the explosive force. The three stared at one another, their coat tails flapping in the wind.**

" **And so it came to pass," Adam narrated, "That those who had once gathered before a painted line of spears, found themselves reunited in front of the real thing. On one side a division of panzer grenadier vampires from Menagerie's White Fang, the dreaded five-hundred seventy-two Vampire soldiers of "The Last Battalion." On the other side, two-thousand nine-hundred seventy-five Knights of the Mistral Catholic Vatican Curia, ninth airborne mobile crusade. In the middle, her Majesty's Goodwitch Organization. Just three of these mighty soldiers remain. All is ready, the players prepare to take the stage, and the curtain rises over this Walpurgis Dawn!"**

"Over what?" Nora asked.

"Walpurgis Dawn," Weiss explained, "Saint Walpurga was hailed by many for battling pests, rabies, whooping cough, and witchcraft. The feast takes place the last day of April and the first day of May. The feast commemorates the canonization of Saint Walpurga and the movement of her relics to Eichstätt."

Nora blinked.

"Basically, they are pests in this scenario and Jaune is Saint Walpurga," Adam simplified.

"Why didn't you just say that?" Nora gestured to Adam.

"Because if I had, then you'd ask: 'Who is Saint Walpurga'" Weiss crossed her arms.

 **Pyrrha was glaring, while Raven stared silently at Jaune.**

" **My lord and master Glynda Goodwitch!" Jaune shouted, "Give me your orders!"**

" **Jaune, take heed!" Glynda was on a rooftop with Yang, "Here are your orders! Your silver gun shall stain the white army crimson! Your iron gun shall stain the black army scarlet! I would know my foes by the stains of red you leave upon their chests! Now search and destroy! Search and destroy! Run them down! Do not let any of them leave the city alive!"**

" **My master," Jaune lecherously smiled, "It shall be done as you command."**

" **Release control art restriction, zero, announce your return. Say the words and release your full power! Now!"**

 **Jaune let out a chilling breath, "I am…the bird of Hermes…" the jet on the ship broke apart revealing a coffin with Jaune's twin crescents on it, "HERE STANDETH THE BIRD OF HERMES, EATING MINE OWN WINGS!"**

 **Pyrrha roared stabbing Jaune with six spears. Raven spun in the air delivering a kick to the head. Both the White Fang and the Atleasians began shooting Jaune.**

 **Pyrrha teleported away, "It's as if everyone can feel it coming. Something terrible's about to happen. If we can't put this monster down, we may all be doomed."**

"She's right," Salem gasped, "I can feel it…"

"What is this?" Glynda felt a sense of unforgiving dread.

"I don't like this," Ozpin shook his head.

"It's another universe," Qrow couldn't keep his hands from shaking, "We'll be fine…"

"Tell that to your shaking hands," Raven wasn't doing any better.

"… **to keep myself tame…"**

 **Jaune's coffin slowly opened little by little.**

" **Here it comes," Adam mused, "I can feel it! A mighty river…a river of death! The dead shall dance…and all of hell shall sing!"**

" **Cease fire!" the White Fang stopped, "Cease fire!"**

 **Jaune was nothing but a puddle of goo. From that goo, poker cards flew out and began turning the White Fang into bits of meat. Then a single bullet ripped and danced through the air before finally entering the Atlesian army.**

 **The puddle grew and standing there was Roman holding a deck of cards, and Emerald with an ancient rifle. The pool began to expand with thousands upon thousands of people began to emerge from the blood.**

" **No…" Ironwood watched from above, "Stop it…it's impossible! How can something like that exist?!"**

" **That is the true face of the Vampire Jaune," Glynda explained to Yang, "For blood is the currency of the soul, the vehicle of life. Blood is the medium by which life can be transferred. To drink blood is to take the essence of a soul into oneself. You understand the full ramifications of this now, don't you, Yang?"**

" **Yes," Yang answered.**

"So," Ilia thought it over, "Does that mean I'm still alive? Can you summon me?"

"I just hope it's not like that," Blake shuddered at the sight, "They don't look like they're in control of their own bodies."

" **The Burgundians," Pyrrha gasped, "And the English forces! You devoured all of them! No matter how hard we try, we're never going to be able to kill you are we? How many people have you consumed in your time on earth? How many lost souls are trapped within you?"**

" **Domremy's…" Ironwood gasped watching horses and armored knights emerge from the pool, "It can't be…You consumed them…your own soldiers! Your own subjects! You're a fiend! A monster! A devil! You…JOAN OF ARC!"**

 **Standing before them was someone that looked like Jaune but was clearly a woman. Her armor was stained red, her hair length rivaled Yang's, and her tattered black cape fluttered in the wind. She raised her arms and when she dropped them, behind her was an army. It was a tsunami flowing down the streets of Vale. Only in stead of water, it was people…**

"There must be millions," Salem gasped.

"He's been doing this a long time…" Ghira watched in horror.

"Don't you mean she?" Kali asked.

"Both?" Ruby asked, "Can he pick and choose?"

"This is one of many questions I have at the moment," Pyrrha watched with growing interest.

" **Full perimeter defense!" an Atlesian shouted, "Square up! Close formation!"**

"That's not gonna help you," Ironwood shook his head.

" **No!" Ironwood watched, "What is this thing that's been awakened?!"**

" **It's death!" Adam answered with a twisted smile, "Death has been awakened!"**

" **This is simply magnificent!" Ghira watched the carnage unfold, "Fantastic! I must have one!"**

" **Kill it!" a faunus yelled, "Everyone open fire!"**

 **And they did, both the Atlesians and the Faunus attacked Joan's army, but the mounted knights trampled them all anyway. The tsunami came crashing down on the rest of them.**

" **Fire!" a pilot yelled from above, "Fire! It's a nightmare down there! It's hell! We keep shooting and it keeps coming!"**

"I did say all of Hell shall sing, didn't I?" Adam asked.

"I guess they didn't get the memo," Cinder chuckled.

 **Roman smirked as his playing cards flew from his fingers reducing them into flaming bits of scrap. Emerald wrapped her tongue around her gun in a seductive fashion as her magical bullet took care of any that Roman missed.**

"Emerald," Ruby watched, "Um, that's a little too close to the gun isn't it?"

"Are your really one to be saying that?" Emerald looked back at her.

"I'm not the one posing like one of those fake models that probably don't know shit about the guns their posing with," Ruby argued.

"I always hated those kinds of models," Ironwood mumbled, "They could seriously hurt themselves in that position."

"It's not like they're loaded," Glynda commented.

"That's not the point," Qrow agreed with Ironwood, "They're choosing looking hot over being smart."

" **Our lines are crumbling!" Atlesians reported to Ironwood, "Bishop, please order a withdraw! We're being slaughtered! Bishop!"**

" **Shut!" Ironwood finally snapped, "Up! Stop calling me that! You will address me as Arch-Bishop!" Ironwood began screaming as his helicopter exploded and his mobile car crashed on the ground. Where Joan's zombies were waiting for him. They clawed at the glass, but couldn't get through, "This is hardened tektite compound reinforced glass! You won't even be able to scratch it!" Ironwood's victorious smile immediately faltered when a spear pierced the glass mere millimeters from his face. "Ni…Niiii…Kos!" Ironwood cried as the glass shattered. He saw her above the zombies on a pile of rubble.**

" **We are soldiers of Iscariot," Pyrrha spoke, "We are the instruments of God's wrath on earth. Together we march in lockstep to shatter the dreams of the unrighteous and unholy. Goodbye, my friend."**

" **Nikos!" Ironwood continued to scream as the zombies grabbed him, "Nikos! Nikos!" he reached out to her, "Save me, Pyrrha, please! Please ma'am! Please! Please ma'am…" the zombies impaled Ironwood with spears and he spontaneously combusted.**

"That was cold," Salem smiled, "I approve."

"He deserved it," Pyrrha crossed her arms. "Killing innocent people for no reason."

"Never pictured someone under your command killing for their beliefs," Raven perked up an eyebrow.

"I agree with Miss Nikos," Ironwood shook his head, "That version of me went insane with a promotion."

" **Is this it?" Ironwood asked as the flames consumed his body, "Am I to die here alone? No! No! I was born alone…I don't want to die alone!"**

 **The zombies didn't touch Pyrrha as she walked toward Ironwood's burnt corpse.**

" **Teacher," A child Ironwood spoke to Pyrrha, "Sister Nikos. I will become great. And once I've done so…I will have my revenge on all who have wronged me."**

" **You were such a foolish boy," Pyrrha had Ironwood's head on her lap, "A stupid, foolish boy…" Pyrrha stood up, "This is Sister Nikos, calling all Paladins. We're returning to the Vatican. The Ninth Crusade expeditionary force, Reconquista, has been completely destroyed. Dawn's approaching. Our dreams are dashed. We're returning to the Vatican."**

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Weiss flailed her arms around, "Pyrrha is older than Ironwood?!"

"That's interesting?" Ironwood tilted his head, "I don't know how to react to this…"

"Well I am a Zombie," Pyrrha shrugged, "I mean, who knows how old I truly am?"

"Not bad for being probably over one-hundred years old," Nora smirked.

"How do you figure?" Pyrrha asked.

"You're clearly an adult in the flashback, and Ironwood is…"

"I'm forty-seven," Ironwood grumbled.

"Wait really?" Qrow looked over at him, "I seriously thought he was older."

" **Nikos," Nora objected, "You're not serious!"**

" **It's not your place to die here," Pyrrha yelled back, "Retreat! Return to the Vatican! Protect the pope! Protect the church till the end days! As for me, I'm going to stay behind. I will find Jaune and I will defeat him."**

" **Nikos!" Ren objected, "What do you think is going to happen if you fight him?!"**

" **It doesn't matter," Pyrrha stood before a horde of zombies, "It's now or never. Finally, Jaune has unlocked the last restraints upon his power. He's finally in a form I may be able to do damage to. The last of his demonic powers have finally been laid bare. He has dispatched all the warriors from his stronghold. Right now, the lord of the manor…stands alone! For the first time, I can face a single vampire in combat. Joan of Arc stands alone. This…All this was the sole objective of that mad battalion commander. It was a giant sacrifice designed to make Jaune vulnerable. A thousand Faunus soldiers, three thousand crusaders, a million citizens of Vale, all of them, friend and foe alike…and finally, he knew I'd be here." Bible pages began to float around her, "Farewell, gentlemen! Do not weep for Ironwood, the poor hapless fool! He died as he lived, a spineless coward. Farwell, and may we meet again in Limbo."**

" **NIKOS!/SISTER NIKOS!" Ren and Nora yelled as the bible pages blew away with the wind.**

"Why limbo?" Ruby asked looking at Weiss.

"Because she's a holy woman," Weiss explained, "Holy or not, murder is still a sin. So, they'll be sent to limbo and judged for their crimes."

" **My count," Glynda smiled, "You have returned."**

" **At your pleasure," Joan rose, "My lady."**

" **Hi!" Yang meekly greeted, "It's really good to have you back master…" Yang took one look in his eyes and quickly went behind Glynda, "Um, you seem to have grown a considerable amount of hair master," she made a mustache with her hair. A gauntleted hair reached over. Yang cowered except Joan's hand ruffled her hair.**

" **Yes Yang," Joan smiled, "My Yang Xiao-Long."**

"Awww!" Summer cooed at the scene.

"Are we ignoring the burned bodies in the background?" Winter asked her sister.

"Trying to," Weiss nodded.

 **Crashing from the sky surrounded by bible pages was Pyrrha. A spear in each hand and in her mouth. Joan drew her sword and deflected her spear. Pyrrha slid across the pavement.**

"Mood killer," Summer pouted.

Pyrrha was more interested in finally seeing herself fight.

" **Nicely done," Joan complimented, "My nemesis."**

" **I am a servant of God," Pyrrha declared, "An agent of divine punishment on earth. I am called upon to cut away the flesh of infidels. And remove from the earth, all those who would defy god! AMEN!" a shield formed around her as she charged forward. As their blades clashed, the shield became a blue fire. Joan had a cut on her cheek and Pyrrha's bible pages caught ablaze.**

" **You've become a formidable warrior," Joan complimented, "I'm impressed."**

" **Ready for more?" Pyrrha asked.**

" **Yes…" Joan answered, "Bring me more…try to pierce my heart with your spears! Five-hundred years ago…One-hundred years ago…now you come back to challenge me and awaken me again…my beloved nemesis."**

" **Don't even need to ask," Pyrrha charged.**

"Five-Hundred," Nora nodded, "You don't look a day over four."

"I think there should be a club," Salem grabbed Pyrrha's shoulder, "A club of women centuries old, but still looking good."

"Except there's only two of you," Yang couldn't help but admire the curves Salem had.

"And Joan," Salem pointed out.

 **With a wicked smile, Joan deflected Pyrrha's attacks. She jumped behind her, her sword forcing Pyrrha away. From each of her sleeves, Pyrrha summoned three more spears and threw all six of them at Joan. They were shot down, Joan had turned back into Jaune.**

" **Pure silver, macedonium-processed mercury ammunition," Jaune listed, "It marvels NNA9 cartridges. Thirty-nine centimeters long, weighing sixteen kilograms, with thirteen-millimeter armor-piercing rounds! THE JACKAL! THIS WEAPON IS PERFECT OZPIN!"**

 **Jaune fired with his silver gun, Pyrrha summoned two spears and blocked his shots. Jaune switched to the Jackal and nearly shot her arm clean off. With one hand she tried slashing through Jaune. But he replaced himself with his zombies, he jumped behind them on a pile of debris and simply watched. Emerald's magic bullet and Roman's playing cards ripped into Pyrrha's body.**

"That's hardly fair!" Glynda protested.

"He's a vampire," Salem sighed, "Do you really think he'd play fair?"

"Guess not," Glynda sighed.

" **Now what?" Jaune asked, "What will you do? Your dragon stands before you catholic! You're going to defeat me, is that right? What do you think your chances are? One in a hundred? One in a thousand? In ten thousand? A million? A billion maybe?"**

" **I am more than prepared to destroy you," Pyrrha's body regenerated what it could, "Monster, no matter what the odds are against me!"**

"How long can you keep going Regenerator?" Cinder asked.

"How many titles do I have?" Pyrrha wondered.

"Regenerator is one of them," Salem used her powers to look into the screen, "God's Assassin, Sister Guillotine, The Angel's Dust, the Spear Nun."

"Pretty much expected when you're five centuries old," Weiss sighed.

" **Contact with Nordland Platoon has been lost!" a Faunus reported to Adam.**

" **Respond dummbatz!"**

" **Communique from the aerial cruiser! The Bürgerbräukeller is out of ammunition!"**

" **Nobody is responding!"**

" **Oh butler," Adam finally spoke, "Mix me up some Verhoeden cocoa and bring it right away, and don't hold back on the cream und sugar." Ozpin bowed, "Vale has been destroyed, The Crusaders have all perished, and The Last Battalion is dying in the streets. Jaune is down there…and I sit up here…it's perfection. Everything is proceeding just as I planned."**

"What is my plan exactly?" Adam asked.

"Is it just me or is Ozpin as Adam's butler kinda hilarious?" Qrow asked.

"Human serving Faunus is usually something I'd applaud," Adam smiled, "But this version of me seems way too stupid and Ozpin has to have an ulterior motive."

 **Pyrrha coughed up blood as she continued to fight Jaune's zombies with just one hand. She fell to her knees, her breathing heavy, her skin pale from blood loss.**

" **What's the matter Christian?" Jaune asked, "Your dragon is waiting!"**

 **Pyrrha rose to her feet.**

" **You're bruised and bleeding," Jaune observed, "Your arm is hanging on by a few strands of meat. What are you going to do? Will you die like a dog? Or on your feet like a man? Or woman?"**

" **What does it matter vampire?" Pyrrha bit the sleeve holding her arm, "You think a cut on my arm will stop me? Now shut up and come at me! Come on, fight me! Hurry! Hurry!" Pyrrha threw her spear into the air and caught it with her limp hand and summoned a new one to her waiting hand.**

 **Jaune was surprised, then he smiled, "Excellent…humans are such fascinating creatures."**

"This one is at least," Adam stared at Pyrrha.

"Maybe now's a good time to retreat Miss. Nikos," Ironwood offered his advice.

"I've been trying to kill him for five-hundred years," Pyrrha shook her head, "I'm not passing up this opportunity."

"This'll be interesting," Raven watched with a smile.

 **Pyrrha yelled as best she could with her arm in her mouth. She cut down zombie after zombie trying to get to Jaune. A chain shot from her sleeve with a spear on each link. Then they exploded in a glorious fashion.**

" **I want more!" Pyrrha let go of her arm letting it flail around, "More! More! More! More!'**

" **What kind of woman is this?" Jaune asked thinking back five centuries, "She reminds me of those other women. YES! Come to me, Pyrrha Nikos! Like those other women is that far distant time, come and stand before my gaze. And as that woman did long ago, try and run me through and pierce my heart!"**

 **Gilles de Rais stood before Pyrrha.**

" **Out of my way!" she screamed shoving a spear into Gilles' mouth, the giant man just grabbed Pyrrha's arm. Behind him were more mounted knights charging toward her. They lowered their lances only to be shot down right there.**

" **Damn it," Pyrrha turned around, "I said leave! You stupid meddling idiots!"**

Nora flicked Pyrrha's forehead, "That's not nice Pyrrha."

" **And what did you expect us to do?" Nora spit out her cigarette, "Just pack everything up and run back to the Vatican? What sad sort of thing would that make us? Because, none of us would be soldiers of Iscariot anymore!"**

Pyrrha flicked Nora's forehead, "Smoking's bad for you."

"How do you deal with this?" Weiss asked Ren.

He pulled out a pair of earplugs from his jacket.

" **By the cry amen and the slaughter of the unworthy," Ren had cut Gilles' head in half, "The world slippeth back into place!" Those are the words you taught us, aren't they?! Did you think we would abandon our righteousness? You are the idiot."**

" **You are such a fool!" Pyrrha yelled, "I just wanted someone to survive and carry on our work! Too many have gone to limbo today! But since I'm charging full speed into hell, I may as well have some company. Guess we're going to do this together then. Let's tell them who we are!"**

" **WE ARE THE SOLIDERS OF ISCARIOT! WE ARE JUSDAS ISCARIOT!" The paladins charged forward with Pyrrha leading them.**

" **Countless lives struggle and writhe together," Adam sipped from his mug, "Like tiny cells making up a great beast, struggling toward its own illumination. Seeking blood whilst spilling blood. Continuously multiplying and receding, fighting against itself, without end. Whether they seek that enlightenment through their faith in a god or in the name of Faunus Nazism, or in the creature known as Jaune. We are all now united by the same thing! It's a dream come true isn't it, my dark breatherns."**

" **Now!" Nora ordered when a paladin was stabbed in the throat.**

" **Go to hell!" he pulled the pin on his chest and exploded.**

" **Amen!" another under a pile of zombies cried out.**

 **Soon enough most of the paladins were exploding sending bits of zombie everywhere. Nora kept shooting, Ren used his katana, and Pyrrha jumped in front of Jaune.**

" **You stand before me," Jaune was surprised, "I'm impressed…I'm impressed Iscariot. SHOW ME MORE PYRRHA NIKOS!"**

" **You are not the only one who carries a mighty weapon Vampire," Pyrrha pulled a box from behind her back.**

"Oh my," Salam raised an eyebrow, "What nasty little secret were you hiding my dear?"

"Something that could kill Jaune obviously," Watts shrugged.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Sun's tail wrapped around him.

"He's right," Kali couldn't stop shaking, "Something bad is in that box."

" **So is this the toy that's going to defeat me?" Jaune asked. Pyrrha's fist shattered the box revealing, "A nail? The Shroud of Turin…the Holy Grail…the Lance of Longinus…should I assume you're threatening me with the last of the holy artifacts of the Old World?"**

" **Oh yes," was Pyrrha's simple reply.**

" **It still smells of blood and miracle," Jaune sniffed, "The Nail of Helena!"**

" **Prepare!" Pyrrha held the nail out.**

"STOP!" Salem and Ozpin shouted.

" **NIKOS!" Jaune screamed, "STOP IT! Do you know what that thing will do to you? You'll become one of god's monsters! Maintain your humanity! Don't succumb to power! Either side it amounts to the same deal. Whether in the name of the divine or demonic, you're still a monster in the end! Do you intend to use that scrap of miracle to become nothing but a scrap of miracle yourself? This duel between us, would you really push it this far? Into the realms beyond mortal life? A monster such as myself, a creature of such weakness that I could not bear the weight of a human life. If I am to be defeated it must by a human! Don't do it human…don't become a monster…a monster like me…"**

" **I want nothing more than to be a spear," Pyrrha lowered the nail, "A spear wielded by the hand of God. I would have been happy to have been born a storm, or a divine threat, a mighty explosion, or even a terrible hurricane. A divine force of nature without a heart or pity. If this relic can transform me into such a thing, then I am happy to abandon my humanity."**

 **Pyrrha fell to her knees and drove the nail into her chest. Thorns sprouted from the wound, her arm was healed, and steam came out of her pores.**

" **Y-you…" Jaune strained through clenched teeth, "You fool!" he marched over to her with both guns in hand. "YOU BLOODY FOOL!" He raised his silver gun, and Pyrrha decapitated him again, and took his arm too. He raised his iron gun and blew Pyrrha's head clean off.**

 **Jaune's vampiric aura began to reform his face and with one eye he glared menacingly at Pyrrha. What was reforming her skull however…**

"I'm going to have nightmares forever now," Nora watched the screen.

" **It's thorns," Ren gasped, "All thorns!"**

" **Nikos," Nora hissed, "What in God's name have you done to yourself?"**

" **Her body is no longer that of a human's," Jaune explained, "The only way either of us may return to dust," Jaune covered his heart, "Is to have it gouged out of us—the sickness in our hearts."**

" **Sister Nikos/Nikos!" Nora and Ren yelled.**

 **Pyrrha made a cross with her spears as her face was restored and the thorns danced behind her.**

 **Jaune made a reverse cross with his pistols as his vampiric aura danced behind him.**

 **Jaune fired wildly at her, while Pyrrha ran up and stabbed him. He used his iron gun to shoot her arm. But the thorns healed her, and his vampiric aura healed him. He reached out with his aura grabbing her arm, but the thorns lashed out and shredded it. Jaune gasped, then he saw the nail twitching in her breast. He raised his gun and fired, but the bullet merely spun on the nail. His jaw dropped as Pyrrha smiled and leapt into the air, the thorns exploding behind her.**

 _ **Pyrrha Nikos was no longer human…nor demon; neither day, nor night.**_

 **Jaune raised his gun, and Pyrrha's spear landed in his forehead. He fell to his knees and dropped his gun. Thorns exploded from the spear and began entangling Jaune. Soon after he was set on fire, along with his familiars.**

" **MASTER!" Yang cried.**

"Is she a grimm?" Ruby asked.

"No," Salem answered, "She's an abomination…something so unholy the White City won't touch her, and something so foul the Black Depths don't want her…"

"Was it worth it?" Cinder asked Pyrrha.

 **Adam's zeppelins began falling from the sky.**

" **Zeppelin two, the Alfred Rosenburg, is under heavy fire!" a faunus reported, "We've lost contact with our ground forces! Seventh brigade has disappeared from radar! Communication has been lost! What's going on down there?! Major sir! What are your orders?!"**

 **Adam was eating a hotdog, "You're very irritating," he said as he threw the wrapper on the floor, "Simmer down gentlemen. Why don't you shut up, relax and enjoy the thrilling climax! So your subordinates have been brutally killed. It's no excuse for wailing like a bunch of cornered little virgins…Captain?"**

" **Sir!" the captain responded.**

" **Go distribute firearms and ammunition to any crew members healthy enough to stand," Adam ordered, "If they can't stand, give them grenades."**

" **But sir," the captain objected, "We don't have enough guns and bullets anymore! Not for the whole crew!"**

" **Then arm them with pipes!" Adam shrugged, "Scraps of metal, whatever's handy! Just arm and assemble my soldiers. Once that's taken care of, we'll begin a full assault on the enemy. How about it? Sound like fun? We'll charge their ranks while singing a jaunty rendition of: "Horst-Wessel-Lied." Oh, that's good! Zum letzten Mal wird Sturmalarm geblasen!"**

"Zum kampfe steth'h wir alle schon bereit!" Weiss sang along.

"What?" Ruby watched Weiss uncharacteristically glare at the screen.

"When the Faunus occupied Mistral, they replaced the anthem with Horst-Wessel-Lied," Weiss explained, "And when they where overthrown, the song was banned in Mistral and Menagerie."

"So why are you singing it?" Blake asked.

"Father made me memorize that damn song," Weiss hissed.

" **Captain?" Adam turned around, "Why aren't you singing?"**

" **I've had enough," the captain grit his teeth, "WE ARE NOT THE WHITE FANG! WE ARE THE NAVY OF MENAGERIE! We have only followed your orders in the hopes of defeating the Human Dogs! But this not war…THIS IS MADNESS! I WILL NOT ALLOW ANY MORE OF MY MEN TO DIE!"**

" **Oh to come this far yet still not grasp," Adam sighed, "The true nature of this struggle. So be it. Insubordination is the flower of war."**

 **Ghira pressed a button on his remote. From the ground a mechanical arm sprouted and handed a gun directly to Adam's waiting hand. Adam laughed as he shot at the captain and missed. Everyone stared slack jawed as Adam continued to miss.**

" **What can I say?" Adam shrugged, "He's hard to hit."**

" **How you managed to join the White Fang is beyond me," Ghira's shoulders dropped, "Your aim is as terrible as ever major."**

"So," Adam rubbed his temples, "I'm an idiot, insane, and I can't shoot? What the hell is this universe?"

"Now you're asking questions?" Cinder gawked.

"Hey," Adam snapped, "You're not even in this universe so hush!"

" **Orders sir?" The Faunus asked as they surrounded the captain.**

" **Oh," Adam raised his hand, "Shoot him. Spare us his defeatist attitude." He snapped his fingers and the Faunus fired at him. "Go arm every solider, Ensign. Is that understood? The fate of those who will not obey is in your capable hands. It is time to teach another lesson of war. "All those who live by the sword, shall inevitably die by the sword." Everything is going exactly as planned. By the time they realize their destinies never left my palm, my fist will have already closed in around them."**

" **Master…" Yang's voice echoed.**

" **Who is that?" Jaune asked as he saw Joan standing in the fire. "Who's there? Oh, of course." Joan turned into a little girl. "It's me."**

 **The little girl was dragged by her hair through a hallway. She was tossed onto a bed where her rosary went flying. She crawled over to grab it, when the overweight man restrained her and tore off her clothes.**

" **Lord," she thought to herself as the bed began creaking as the man forced himself upon her, "I would not kneel in prayer for my salvation."**

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Everyone screamed at the screen.

"WHY ARE WE WATCHING THIS?!" Ruby covered her eyes, but the images were already burned into her mind.

 **The scene changed, and Joan was on horseback leading a command of soldiers. The same soldiers she would later consume.**

" **FIGHT!" She ordered, "Fight for the glory of your god! God does not help those who kneel before him. God does not save those who pray for mercy. For those are not true prayers. Would you beg in the presence of your lord? Your impiety begs only for death. True prayer is forged in battle. Dazzle your lord with your prayer, and you shall know him. You shall know Paradise! After the tearing, the crushing, the breaking of men's bones…when the fruits of our prayers lie at our feet…God will descend from his throne on high to bring judgement upon his wretched and pitiful servants!"**

"Well shit," Neptune watched the massacre on screen.

"Anything is better than…" Weiss couldn't finish the sentence.

"THAT!" Yang had to resist the urge to puke.

" **Tell me, did your promises come to pass?" Jaune asked, "Where's your god? Where's your kingdom? What's the matter? Answer me, Queen. Mad Queen." Jaune watched as Joan was forced to walk with her head and hands restrained. "They're all dead. Every last soul dead…" Joan tripped over a corpse, "In service to you and your promises. For your prayers. For your paradise. For your God…all were sacrificed." Joan was led to the base of a tree, "Enemies and allies…the people you swore to protect…the country you would rule…men, women, young, and old…even yourself."**

" **Irredeemable," Adam spoke leaning against a wall, "You truly are a monster beyond all salvation, Count."**

 **Joan licked some fresh blood from the corpses of one of her soldiers before she was set on fire.**

"And that's how Joan became Jaune," Salem watched, "And with all those bodies around her. Her army was born."

" **That doesn't mean we just give up now, does it?" Pyrrha asked.**

" **Master!" Yang yelled.**

" **That voice…calling to me…who is that? Who's there, calling out to me?"**

" **Master!" Yang continued.**

" **Oh," Jaune opened his eyes and saw Yang, "Of course. It's you…"**

 **Pyrrha drove her spear into his chest. Yang ran up and grabbed it trying to force it out. Pyrrha's thorns wrapped around Yang's arm and set her on fire as well.**

" **It's burning," Glynda watched Jaune's familiars burn, "His whole world, is burning away."**

" **Master!" Yang cried, enduring the flames as Pyrrha kept forcing her spear into his chest, "MASTER!"**

" **Stop yelling huntress!" Jaune spoke, "Why must you insist on making such an awful racket? You're liable to wake the dead."**

" **My master…" Yang was so relieved to hear him speak.**

"Yang," Ruby sighed, "Stop stealing Blake's line."

"Yeah," Blake agreed without thinking.

"Are we ignoring the pun he made?" Yang giggled, "Wake the dead? He's a vampire, and I woke him up from his trance!"

Taiyang started laughing. While everybody else groaned.

 **Jaune reached out and covered Yang's hand with his own, "Nikos. There was a moment you could have defeated me…you had your chance…as the sun set on that barren field…on that fateful evening over five centuries ago…I would have let you claim my heart. But now, your moment has passed. You cannot defeat me!" Jaune broke her spear and the thorns binding him, "Only a human can destroy a monster. Only a human could dare hope to."**

 **The symbol on Jaune's gloves turned red as he charged forward. Pyrrha summoned more thorns, but he roared and ran through them.**

" **Glynda," she heard her father's voice speak to her, "There are many immortal monsters who roam this earth. When I look at them I wonder…were they created out of a desire for immortality? Many of them desire war. I've seen them roaming the bloodiest battlefields. But in their battle cries I hear a craving…I think, they cry out for death. The No-Life Queen. Her castle, her kingdom, it's people, her loved ones. Even her very identity. Everything was lost. All that remains is a pale shadow, wandering from battle to battle. I have come to believe, Glynda, that those frightening immortals are in fact, frail sobbing children."**

 **Jaune forced his hand into Pyrrha's chest and ripped out her heart. The force he used in doing to tore her body in half. Her torso fell to the ground as Jaune held her still-beating heart in his hand. He crushed it…**

"I guess you had something different in mind when Jaune stole your heart?" Yang asked.

"Just a bit," Pyrrha watched her heart literally shatter.

"Is that not normal?" Salem asked.

Everyone stared at her.

" **You and I are the same!" Jaune yelled, "You are me! I was just the same! Don't you understand this is how I became what I am?!" Jaune began sobbing.**

 **Pyrrha began laughing, even as her body began turning into salt, "Demons do not cry. Are these the tears of a long dead child? Demons do not cry. You became a demon because you couldn't cry anymore, right? Humans cry, and when their tears finally run dry there's nothing left but a demon or a monster and one final prayer for death. So laugh, demon. Laugh that arrogant laugh of yours and remember: I beat you to it. So how long will it be then? How long before you are no longer cursed to walk the earth?"**

" **Until the weight of my past is shattered by my oncoming future," Jaune answered, "It shouldn't be too long, my nemesis. I'll see you in Hell.**

 **Pyrrha's left arm blew away in the wind, "Who is that?" She saw a golden light in a forest, it was her orphanage, "The voices of children?" Pyrrha raised her right hand to the rising sun, "I can hear them…the children…they're all playing and…I should go…" her right arm disintegrated, "They're all waiting. It's…is that really you Ironwood? You mustn't cry children…say your prayers…before you sleep…amen, children."**

" **Amen," Jaune smiled.**

" **Amen," Ozpin crushed Pyrrha's skull with his foot.**

Before anyone could blink Nora had her hammer raised and was swinging directly at Ozpin's head. He raised his cane to block, only for it to be lowered by a gloved hand. Ozpin looked up and saw WarThunder shaking his head. He spit up a mouthful of blood and teeth as Nora stood above him.

"NORA!" Ren cried.

"Miss Valkyrie!" Glynda scolded.

"Nice swing," Raven applauded.

"He deserved it," Salem hissed, "Those who disrespect the dead don't deserve pity."

"Everybody gets one," WarThunder healed Ozpin with a snap of his fingers.

 **Jaune and Yang gasped at the sight of young Ozpin. Glynda was so shocked her cigar fell from her mouth. Ozpin put a cigarette of his own in his mouth as his microfilament wires danced behind him.**

" **Ozpin!" Glynda yelled, "Is that you?!"**

" **Trash," Ozpin put his foot on Pyrrha's chest, "The dead are nothing but refuse…and there is no need for anyone to mourn filth. Isn't that right Glynda?"**

" **Ozpin…" Glynda hissed.**

" **Ozpin, sir!" Yang gasped, "What have they done to you?"**

" **What have they done to me?" Ozpin asked, "Obviously, I've been captured, brainwashed, and turned into a vampire. Then forced against me will to turn my friends and masters to bloody shreds. Was that the sort of explanation you were hoping for, Yang? I answer to no man's will but my own. I am myself in mind, body, and soul; I am Oscar P. Ozpin, the Angel of Death. And as the dawn light cuts through the darkness…so shall I reap each of your souls in bloody turn."**

" **Ozpin," Glynda clenched her fist, "Enough, Ozpin!"**

" **DO NOT USE THAT NAME!" Ozpin roared.**

 **Ren jumped up and charged at him.**

" **DON'T!" Yang cried.**

" **Kill you!" Ren chanted, "Kill you! Kill you! You know nothing of what it means to serve a master! NOTHING!"**

" **Shukuji!" Nora gasped as Ren attacked Ozpin.**

" **Shimabara quick-draw attack!" Ren declared, "Shoki! You're dead!"**

" **You're the one who's dead," Ozpin said as his wires quite literally turned Ren's upper body into tiny cubes of steaming meat.**

" **Without a scream." Ren thought with his final moments, "Or a single slash…I've nothing left…and my world tumbles to it's end…"**

It took the combined forces of Team RWBY, Pyrrha, Ren, and WarThunderto restrain Nora from attacking Ozpin again.

"I said ONE!" WarThunder forced Nora back in her seat.

" **REN!" Nora raised her gun and Raven raised hers.**

"That gun looks ridiculous," Ruby snickered.

"Jesus," Raven gasped, "That's got to be at least three feet long! Compensating much me?!"

 **Nora barely had time to react as Raven pulled the trigger.**

" **There's nothing you can do to stop me," Ozpin declared, "And no one will stand in the way of my treasons."**

"Maybe he really is brainwashed?" Glynda tried to defend her boss as WarThunder healed his face from a certain hammer strike.

"I agree," Port spoke up, "I don't imagine our headmaster betraying everybody for no reason."

"Let's continue and find out," Oobleck pointed to himself on screen.

" **Has the queen been escorted to one of the safe houses?" Oobleck asked Peach.**

" **Of course," Peach answered with a cigar of her own, "And the nuclear submarine, Nereid, should be here soon. If things take a turn for the worse we can smuggle her all the way back to Atlas. What's Vale looking like?"**

" **Same as it was," Oobleck answered, "Total chaos. Our last official field report was from Sir Port is you can believe it."**

" **Port huh?" Peach scoffed.**

" **Yes," Oobleck nodded, "Wonders never cease."**

" **Such an idiot," Peach shook her head, "I knew all that bluster would be the death of him."**

" **I've known some fools in my lifetime," Oobleck explained, "But very few men turn foolishness into an arm form. Damn! These villains dare to rob us of good men. They must be made to answer for their crimes!"**

" **Exactly," Peach agreed, "Those undead White Fang bastards are going to pay. And we'll make them, whatever else that much is certain. Thanks to the shock troops you were so kind enough to drop in earlier, we should be able to clear all the vampires from out outlying bases within…lets be generous and give it half a day. It's Vale, that's the real problem. As it currently stands, we're barely holding our makeshift blockade around the city. There's also been talk that the queen and her advisors are considering a final, nuclear solution."**

" **Madness…" Oobleck hissed.**

" **Yes," Peach nodded, "But three trident strikes from the SLBN is all it would take to burn Vale to the ground. But only as a last resort, obviously. A nuclear attack on her own subjects is unthinkable. As her majesty still holds faith. The battle of Vale is not over. Her soldiers still fight for the capital."**

" **Yes," Oobleck thought of Glynda, "Arthur's daughter. She still fights."**

 **Peach lit a cigarette, "So, Sir Oobleck…concerning this traitor at the round table…back when some of our junior members suspected Port. You were quite vocal in your defense of him."**

" **I was," Oobleck nodded, "He was a fool. He was also a man of character and honor. He would rather die than betray the Round Table."**

"A bit of a dick, but he stands up for his friends," Yang shrugged.

"Thank you Barty," Port patted the man on the back.

"I know you'd never do such a thing Peter," Oobleck returned the back patting.

" **Then who's the traitor then?" Peach asked, "You and I are the only ones left of the Round Table. Is it you? Or is it me?"**

" **Oh don't be absurd," Oobleck scoffed, "If I had turned traitor, I imagine I would of filed a notice with the main office by now." Both chuckled at the remark. "There is something that's been gnawing at me." Peach raised an eyebrow. "When Arthur died, I gave a warning. Arthur's younger brother, Richard, was dangerous. He would be willing to kill Glynda to inherit the family title. "Keep your eyes on Richard, and don't take your eyes off Glynda." That was the warning I gave to the Goodwitch family's butler, Oscar P. Ozpin. That night the attack came, but where was Ozpin? What was he up to? Arthur understood the threat Jaune posed, and took great care sealing him away in his cell. But on that night, Glynda, in a desperate attempt to flee Richard, released Jaune, becoming the creature's master. What if…that had been the plan all along? One could argue that was the seed from which all that chaos originated. And if that's true, when did his betrayal begin? Ten years ago? Twenty? Or perhaps it was September 1944. In Menagerie…"**

"You've been planning this for a while," Salem thought it over.

"Just as long as Adam has," Cinder agreed.

"Has her been working with them all this time?" Raven asked, "Or just sat patiently?"

 **Nora was gasping on the ground, Raven aimed her ridiculously over sized gun at her.**

" **She tore my face," Nora gasped, "Why not just kill me?"**

 **Raven silently shook her head.**

" **Don't interfere"?" Nora guessed. "Is that what you're saying?"**

 **Raven tossed her a first-aid kit and took off into the air.**

" **She took pity on me," Nora glared, "How dare she! Am I not worthy of a soldier's respect?! Have I fallen so low, that I am not even worth considering as a threat?"**

" **Nora!" Three paladins ran to her side, "Are you alright?"**

" **I'm just fine!" Nora declared, "Is Ren alright?"**

" **Ren…" they looked back at his remains, "I'm afraid…"**

" **No…" Nora covered her eyes, "Ren…damnit!" She slammed her fist in the ground. "DAMNIT! DAMNIT! DAMNIT! THAT BASTARD! THAT BASTARD!" Nora began sobbing, "Your gun!" She demanded bandaging her jaw. When they didn't respond she just took it.**

" **You're in no condition for this!" One protested.**

" **Do you think I care?" Nora hissed, "DO YOU?! HE'S DEAD! I'M GONNA KILL THE FUCKING BUTLER! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?! I'LL KILL HIM! KILL HIM!"**

"Um, Nora?" Ruby timidly asked.

Nora turned to Ruby and there was a vicious fire in her eyes that shut down anything Ruby was going to say. The rest of the students wisely shut their mouths with her.

 **Jaune was on his knees watching the rest of Pyrrha blow away with the wind.**

" **GET UP!" Ozpin demanded, "STAND AND FACE ME JAUNE, LAPDOG OF GOODWITCH!"**

 **Jaune began to laugh, "Angel of Death…weren't you the one who said men look forward to growing old? You seemed to have abandoned your maturity. Truly a terrible shame. You were such a lovely old man. It pains me to see how retched and ugly you've become. Your body and soul corrupted. A dark reaper to the very core."**

" **Yes," Ozpin nodded, "This world is after all a violent, fleeting dream. And as the dawn breaks, I shall be ready to reap the earth! STAND AND FACE ME, JAUNE!"**

" **You know damn well that the two of us are dogs," Jaune explained, "We don't bark unless we're told. Your orders…give me your orders master! I can kill…I can slaughter him without the slightest hesitation or hint of regret! I am a monster in his cage. And, you are…Glynda. My hand holds the weapon…my sight finds the target…I can chamber the round…I can pull back on the bolt and I can release the safety! But you…it is your will that commands the killing. So what will you do? What are your orders, my master…Glynda Fairbrook Wingates Goodwitch!"**

"He's quite obedient," Cinder nodded.

"I guess he really is a dog," Emerald shrugged, "Isn't that normally a bad thing to be called?"

"Apparently not for him it isn't," Adam shook his head.

" **Yes!" Adam was watching from above, "Yes! YES!" Say it, Fraulein!"**

" **Say it yes," Ghira practically salivated, "Say it, now!"**

" **Just say it," Blake smiled, "Just say it!"**

" **Say the words," even Ozpin demanded it.**

 **Glynda lit a fresh cigar.**

" **GLYNDA!" Ozpin yelled, "Say the words!"**

 **Glynda crushed the cigar in her fingers, "Now search and destroy! Search and destroy! Servant, you have your standing orders. Nothing's changed. Annihilate all forced that dare oppose us! Crush all obstacles that stand before you and push forward! Regardless of what it is! Regardless of who it is! Destroy…anyone…in your way…" her face betrayed her words, every word she spoke shattered her heart.**

"Wow," Ironwood watched, "I never thought you'd hesitate to attack an enemy."

"It's not everyday that the enemy was once your trusted ally," Adam glanced at Blake.

" **RIGHT THERE!" Adam laughed, "Did you all hear that? She finally said the words!"**

 **Jaune rose rose to his feet, "Yes, my master."**

" **Excellent!" Ozpin readied his wires, "Just perfect! You were a master worthy of my years of service!"**

" **However this has happened to you," Glynda glared, "I no longer care. You're nothing but my enemy now. You are Goodwitch's enemy. You are Vale's enemy! You are nothing but a traitor! It is my pleasure to defeat you. To destroy you."**

" **Well said Glynda Fairbrook Wingates Goodwitch!" Adam voiced over the intercom of his ship as it landed behind her and Yang, "To think I called you an amateur! It appears I owe you an apology! At long last, you have become worthy of this battle. You are now my lovely, enormously dangerous arch-enemy whom I must defeat at all costs. Fate has dealt our hands. Now come! I call…your bet."**

"You're biting off more than you can chew," Ironwood chuckled.

"For once I agree with you," Qrow laughed.

"I don't know," Adam shrugged, "I put a lot of time and planning into this. I think I have a plan for this."

"I guess we'll just have to keep watching," Glynda shrugged.

" **Das dritte reich," Blake greeted at the cargo bay doors opened, "Sagaen sie herzlich willkommen!"**

" **Go on," Jaune didn't need to turn to see Glynda walking toward the ship, "Go to him and kill him. Go put an end to this."**

" **Yes," Glynda nodded, "It's about time."**

" **Uh-Master?" Yang asked.**

" **Go…" Jaune ordered, "Now. Our master will have need of you in there…help her put an end to this madman's dream. This fifty-year nightmare…the dawn approaches…and I still have my own bad dream to deal with."**

" **Ozpin!" Yang called out to him, "I know this is odd to say under these circumstances…but…well…thank you for everything you've done for me! Take care."**

 **Ozpin was shocked, his lips slowly curled into a smile, "You as well."**

" **Come along!" Glynda ordered before Yang could start crying.**

" **Yes!" Yang ran to Glynda.**

 **Glynda drew her sword, "Farewell, Ozpin! Farewell, and may we never meet again."**

" **Ladies," Blake greeted, "Welcome!"**

 **Glynda simply shot her in the head, "Obnoxious jokers. I've had enough. Call you bet indeed…"**

"You've made her angry," Cinder warned.

"Anger clouds judgement," Adam shook his head.

"He's right you know," Taiyang looked at his daughter.

" **Remarkable women don't you think?" Jaune asked, "They are mine now. Mine alone…my dear master to whom I belong…my darling servant mine to mold. They are lost to you forever."**

 **Bats surrounded Ozpin, he used his wires to cut through the pests as he charged at Jaune.**

" **Did I make you angry?" Jaune taunted as he charged, "GET ANGRY! This foolish plot of yours ends today! Eat this!"**

 **Jaune's arm stopped right in front of Ozpin's face. His wires quickly wrapped around it and sliced it clean off. Jaune used his regeneration to form a new one. As his arm was forming, Ozpin wrapped up his leg, but instead of cutting it off, Ozpin threw Jaune into several buildings.**

" **You once told me," Ozpin watched Jaune crash into another building, "That true immortals don't exist. You might be onto something! So let's put it to the test! Let's keep killing you till you stay dead!" Ozpin pulled his wires like marionette strings and pulled Jaune from the building crashing to the ground.**

 **Jaune fired from the smoke he created upon landing. Ozpin manipulated his wires to form a razor net that shredded the bullets Jaune fired.**

" **Really?" Ozpin sighed when Jaune's dog was before him, "The Black Hound of Baskerville." Ozpin sliced the dog clean in half, "Learn to heel mongrel. So what's next? What clever little trick do you have for me Jaune? Offer some proof of your worth…"**

 **From the pools of blood left by his dog, Jaune summoned his hand and aimed the Jackal at him. Only for it to explode and take his hand with it.**

" **Did you forget who made that gun for you?" Ozpin asked, "That gun was meant to defeat Nikos. And I am no Nikos."**

"Well," Ozpin moved his jaw around, "I must say this is quite interesting."

"Considering you were just de-aged how many years?" Raven sighed, "I'd be a lot faster if I was given back my youth."

"Not to mention he's a vampire now," Qrow added.

 **From the remains of the dog came Winter?**

" **Oh my," Ghira gasped as he adjusted the screens to watch the battle.**

" **Oh it's her!" Adam shouted, "Oh dear, what was her name? Eh…that's right! She's the sister!"**

"You can't remember the name of your soldiers?" Ironwood scoffed.

"Can you remember the name of every soldier under your command?" Adam reeled back.

"I can if I send them to attack the enemy's headquarters, yes!" Ironwood shouted.

"Bullshit!" Adam shouted again.

"Will you both shut up and watch?!" Winter screamed.

"Sorry," Adam sat back down.

"Yes ma'am," Ironwood did the same.

" **She's Winter," Ghira explained, "Warrant Officer Winter Schnee. I recall she was eaten by the dog, and with the dog dead, she can manifest herself again!"**

" **What is this?" Winter questioned looking around, "What's happened to me?! What the hell's going on around here?!" Before Winter could keep yelling, Ozpin's wires flew into her body, directly in her veins.**

" **I certainly didn't expect to see you again," Ozpin manipulated her like a savage puppet, "Winter Schnee. Excellent. One can always find use for a spare White Fang Vampire." Ozpin's hand began to shake, "My body…is starting to give out…I prepared for this. I rebelled knowing this would happen. This was always inevitable…"**

"So I did…" Ozpin was cut off when a pair of swords pierced his shoulders, "Not…my…day…"

"You dare hurt my sister?!" Weiss twisted her sword in his shoulder.

"This is payback for my sister in volume 2," Winter withdrew her sword.

WarThunder snapped his fingers and Ozpin was healed. Winter and Weiss were returned to their seats.

 **Jaune was busy rebuilding his body when Ozpin attacked with both halves of the Black Hound attached to Winter.**

" **You're back!" Jaune was surprised as the dog bit off his arm, "Well, aren't you a tough one to digest? I always thought you were nothing but shit…" Ozpin manipulated Winter into throwing a knife into Jaune's stomach, "Ozpin, you've made yourself a little puppet. Adorable."**

 **Ozpin coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell over, "Not yet…it's too soon…I'm not finished! I can't die before I finish killing him!"**

" **Just as I thought," Ghira watched Ozpin, "We put him through the process too quickly. It was risky surgery to begin with."**

" **Nonsense," Adam spoke, "We gave him everything we had to give. And in return for these gifts, we've taken from him everything of value. His life, his master, his honor, his loyalty…and yet it still wasn't enough! He lives on borrowed time, and we are his loan sharks waiting to collect our interest. But time grows thin and when the rooster crows, he shall be no more. We have all invested the last fifty years preparing for this fight. Fifty years to prepare for one glorious night of battle against the mighty Jaune. The cards have been dealt, and it's all down to one hand. Winner takes all, and his opponent holds the joker. Show us what you're made of Oscar P. Ozpin!"**

 **Ozpin used Winter to shoot Jaune.**

" **That was very good shooting Winter Schnee!" Jaune complimented, "Your talents were obviously wasted inside that dog!" Jaune jumped in his mouth, he used his one to chamber a bullet, and aimed at the base of Winter's head, "And that's checkmate!"**

" **You've broken my new toy," Ozpin sighed as it crashed to the ground, "Still! I've got you cornered! This is it Jaune!"**

Weiss was about to attack again when magic restrained her.

"ONE!" WarThunder said releasing the magics restraining her.

"My sister is not a toy you dick," Weiss grumbled.

"That's still your headmaster Weiss," Glynda scolded.

"He's just a traitor," Weiss shook her head.

" **Yes," Jaune turned to face Ozpin, "It's time to put an end to this little dance!"**

 **Ozpin tied up Jaune's torso. He used his wires to sever his limbs and cut them into even smaller pieces. He clapped his hands together and jaune twisted around. Now he was just a chest and head.**

" **The heart," Ozpin was struggling to stand, "It's not over without the heart…" he grabbed a piece of rebar and limped over to Jaune, "His heart, just his heart!" Ozpin drove the metal stake into his heart! Only to gasp, "It's wrong…No…it isn't him!" the illusion faded, revealing Ozpin had just stabbed Winter.**

" **That's right," a gloved hand grabbed his shoulder, "Good try though. Who knew that she would be so useful? But it turns out that dog food will do in a pinch." Ozpin turned around and the hand punched him to the ground. "Well come on then, Angel of Death. Stand up. You're not going to let this end with just one punch are you kid? Whatever it is you did to change yourself into this, it doesn't seem to reliable. You're not regenerating. You're just wearing that body down to nothing. So what's the plan then? I mean, look at you, you've burned through the hight of your power. You're not going to be able to hold that form for much longer. So where do you go from here? Back to the old man? Or maybe, you'll slip further back into childhood?" Ozpin transformed into Oscar. "Hello little Oscar! Haven't seen that face in over sixty years!"**

"Young Ozpin is kinda cute," Ruby blushed.

"He's still ancient," Yang shook her head.

"He's also a traitorous bastard," Adam sneered.

"Apparently my surgery reversed his age," Ghira shrugged, "But if it was too quick, I feel like Jaune is right, he'll keep going backwards until he's nothing."

" **Bastard," even Ozpin's voice was different, "What sort of game are you playing? Answer me!"**

" **What game am I playing?" Jaune laughed, "Really? No, this game is all yours. I'm just better at playing it, foolish child. The trappings of mortal forms mean nothing to me. I explained all of this to you sixty years ago. And still you thought your betrayal had the slightest chance of succeeding? Not a very good listener, are you? It hardly matters. When all is said and done, this is really nothing more than a childish squabble. And since your form now so perfectly reflects this, I felt it would be rude to not follow suit. It's the nature of battle. Until you defeat what cowers you, you cannot truly become yourself. But to do that, you must break the shackles that hold you down. Just as I did. Just as Pyrrha and Adam did. We have all gone through the metamorphosis you're experiencing. From the moment we met you wanted to fight me. Otherwise, how else could you ever move forward? Would you even know how? Were you afraid of becoming useless? Were you afraid of getting old? Or maybe you were afraid of being forgotten…Little John Bull…don't make me laugh! You're the one playing games! Look at you. Sixty years and in your heart you're still the same. Just a scrawny brat! Now come on, show me what you've got."**

 **Jaune finally stepped out of the shadows revealing a pair of ocean blue eyes, blonde hair stretching past her lower back with a bun…**

 **She wore a white sleeveless shirt with a raised pale blue collar and a blue rhombus shaped crystal on her upper chest. A white high-waisted with a faint purple sash around the wait. Gray circular earrings, a pair of dull brown bracers, and her fingernails were painted a pale lilac.**

The drink Salem had in her hands fell to the floor as she stared at the figure on the screen. Ozpin wasn't doing any betterment his cane fell from his hands and he didn't even notice.

"Does he like turning into women?" Watts tilted his head, "Is there something we need to know about Jaune?"

"He did wear a dress to prom," Mercury shrugged.

"That was to make a friend feel better you dick," Nora defended her Fearless Leader.

"Who is that woman?" Cinder asked, "I can't place it, but she looks familiar…"

 **Adam's zeppelin had explosions rock across it. Oscar turned around to see what was going on.**

" **Sounds like they're really going at it," Salem smirked, "Tearing through White Fang, Master and Servant. Look at what your beloved Major has wrought. Tell me, Ozpin…any last requests?! The carnage its reaching crescendo…it's time for Goodwitch to take center stage!"**

 **Inside the zeppelin, Glynda was briskly walking forward. The White Fang shot at her, but Yang's new vampiric aura shielded her. Yang shot forward and began tearing the Faunus limb from limb.**

" **What took you so long?" A solider asked leaning against the wall, "Strike me down, Frauline…you do me a kindness!"**

 **Yang happily obliged.**

" **They all die with a smile," Glynda watched them fall, "They smile because death is what they came here to obtain."**

" **If they wanted it so damn badly…they should've staked themselves! Or jumped into a fire! OR MAYBE NOT BECOME VAMPIRES AT ALL!" Yang screamed.**

" **You make it sound so simple little girl," Adam spoke over the intercom, "Would that it were…but you see…mere death means absolutely nothing to us…I blush to admit it, but we've painted ourselves into a bit of a corner. For all our successes this night, we are relics of a bygone age. "Never again," they cried, pushing us out of mind, denying us our legacy. But none of us are eager to die…none of us want our existence to simply stop…like a watch no one will bother to wind up…that would be pointless. If we are to die, it must be a battle that shakes the very timbers of Valhalla! And nothing less! That is what brought us here…the scent of a worthy fight! We are starving you see. But nothing fills us…nothing sates this appetite…the good people of Vale were just a snack! The world is a big place…and a man might murder his neighbor for a multitude of reasons. Mein Gott, the potential! There is pleasure in a rout, but the true warrior must find a worthy foe, even if it takes him half a century. For us to die there must be strum und drang like the world has never dared imagine! Otherwise…we are like the crew of Wagner's Flying Ductchman…drifting forever…that is what you mean to us…Our last chance to come ashore! I tip my hat to you, Goodwitch! Thou Royal Order of Protestant Knights! You are wundebar, truly…you bring us something precious…victory or death…which one, I do not know…but it will be sublime!"**

"He loves to hear himself talk, doesn't he?" Adam asked.

"You tell us," Cinder yawned, "He's you. God that made me sleepy."

" **Mater Glynda," Yang spotted Raven standing at the end of the hall, "You need to go on ahead. Find him and skewer that little toad! Every word out of his mouth is like poison…if I have to keep hearing it I'll go mad!"**

" **All right," Glynda nodded, "But don't you die. That I would never forgive."**

 **Raven pointed at a sign next to her reading: "Hauptquartier."**

" **Such a good dog," Glynda dropped her cigar at Raven's feet, "Now play dead."**

 **Yang kicked up two rifles and aimed at Raven. Raven drew her ridiculous guns and the two opened fire on one another. Yang jumped through the smoke and collided with Raven's coat. While distracted a topless Raven shot Yang in the back.**

"Have you no sense of decency?" Glynda rolled her eyes.

"Jealous?" Raven smirked.

"Of what?" Glynda snapped.

"Oh," Raven shrugged, "I'm over one-hundred years old, had a kid, and I STILL look better than you."

Salem shrugged in agreement.

 **Yang used her vampiric aura to heal and shred the coat. Raven jumped back while Yang chased. Only for her vampiric aura to stop suddenly. Yang gasped as Raven turned into a werewolf.**

"And I'm a fucking werewolf!" Raven shouted victoriously.

" **This game you play is high-stakes, Ozpin," Salem watched the zeppelin explode in random places. "And you're all in. You don't have a single face card to your name, do you? You know how fierce-some my master can be…and the girl is nothing to scoff at either…and as for me…I'm going to tear you apart. It's going to be messy…and if you think I'll give you a fighting chance, think again!" Salem spun in place, "You're just a traitor…! And traitors die ignominious deaths…always! All through my life, and my undeath, I've always held turncoats in the highest contempt. Don't tell me you're so naïve as to think that after all you've done you still deserve a fair fight. I'll make your death a quick one…besides…I'm famished."**

 **Salem raised her hand, and her symbol began to glow. All across the broken city, the blood of the fallen formed a river in the streets. Whatever blood remaining in the burnt corpses flew out of their flesh and added to the river.**

" **You know," Salem laughed as the river began moving toward her, "This much blood might even be too much for me!"**

" **It seems everything is proceeding exactly as planned," Ghira watched the river on the monitors move.**

" **All variables are falling dutifully into place," Adam watched with a twisted smile, "He is rebuilding his castle brick by bloody brick. Sieg gehort jetzt mir. He wears the guise of a man, but I never thought of him as one…"**

"Considering this is his second form as a woman," Ilia shrugged, "I wouldn't blame you…"

"Ilia!" Blake tried to hold in her laughter.

" **Or even as a vampire," Adam resumed, "For that matter…he is king and castle both…his dominion is the River Styx. The untold dead he's drowned in it: his subjects. "What cost, victory?" "What ploy will leave him in the dust?" These questions run through my mind every waking moment…thoughts of him even invade my dreams, leaving me crying out for bloodshed. And now, at long last, our war has dawned! I bring all that I am to this fight, body and soul! But is it enough? How do our arsenals compare? He can change form…summon familiars…bend men to his will…and the taste of human blood brings him life anew…and these powers he can call upon as quickly as a man might blink! But I take the stage with nothing. Why, you ask…?"**

"No," Weiss shook her head, "I'm asking when THIS speech is going to be over!"

"Get back to the fight!" Cinder threw her arms up, "I wanna see the mystery girl kill the traitor Ozpin!"

"Screw that!" Yang barked, "I wanna see me vs my werewolf mother!"

"Either one, just stop talking!" Adam groaned, "I'm tired of listening to my own voice!"

" **Because I am a human being," Adam's long ass speech continued, "To be a vampire…to taste life eternal and wage war throughout the centuries. What a perfect existence! But that is a bridge too far…I cannot embrace undeath!" There was a flashback to fifty years ago, when allied soldiers shot down his soldiers along with himself. Adam watched as the blood crawled toward him. "Vampirism is brilliant…on can quaff another's soul like a vintage Eiswein and steal everything that defines them!" The blood crept closer to Adam, "BEGONE!" He hissed and the blood stopped, "Mein herz, meina seele, mein leben! They belong to me! Sharing one's life with another and they with you, losing the borders of one's self in a great sanguine sea…to gain by losing, what a delicious irony. It is the bliss of acquiescence. It is the bliss of surrender! And so I say to hell with you! What's mine is mine alone! Every hair…every drop of blood…I am me! I am me! I AM ME! You are ruin made flesh. Made beautiful. You are loved. And so, I despise you. That is why you are my foe, mein dazzling Count…you are that most precious thing, a worthy opponent. An archenemy, a king upon which to wage war! What you call victories are nothing more than the opening salvoes of a battle fifty years in the making! Our decades of preparation…they were all for this moment. The Last Battalion, the Ninth Crusade, Sister Nikos, the Faithful Raven, and Duplicitous Ozpin. All of them were steps leading to the pyre upon which Jaune will burn! He has no choice but to release his finale restriction, and set loose his true form…at last, he'll stand alone atop the battlements! Would it be Pyrrha who dispatches him, or Ozpin who carries the day? I think he'll kill them both. He is much less than a man, but also much more…a century ago, his reign of terror paralyzed Vale. Five hundred years ago she held back the French forces. If that great river a blood meets his lips, the game is lost…he'll knock aside the chessboard like a petulant child…life and death, he's cheated them both for centuries! How does one go about slaying such a force of nature? Do you cut through wave after wave of thrills on the battlefield and take his head like one of the Teutonic Knights of old? Nein! He'll simply summon more of his stolen blood…but that could work in my favor…because my enemy's greatest strength is also his Achilles heel…tyrants have always been especially susceptible to poison."**

"I'm a Faunus you idiot," Adam sighed, "Not a human there's a difference!"

 **Yang was breathing heavily as Raven's wolf form was standing before her.**

"FINALLY!" Everyone cheered.

 **Raven roared and snapped her jaws. Yang jumped back and Raven headbutted her into the wall. Yang coughed up blood as she impacted the metal. Raven jumped into the air and kicked Yang through the metal into the cargo bay below them.**

" **I can't," Yang watched Raven gracefully land as she lay bleeding on the cold metal, "She's too strong…" she watched Raven start walking toward her, "I'm sorry…Master…"**

" **Laying down on the job?" Ilia lit a cigarette, "That isn't like you."**

 **Yang gasped when she heard that voice.**

" **On your feet," Ilia ordered, "If you don't get up, I'll have to call you "Ma chere," and I know how much you hate that."**

 **Raven kicked though a crate stuffed with money and Yang narrowly dodged the strike.**

" **You've gotten rusty, n'est pas?" Ilia commented, "It doesn't take two eyes to see that." Yang smiled at the remark, "Anyway, now that you've shook off the dust…let's give him the what-for! Together, we'll kick her mongrel ass all the way back to Menagerie!"**

"Are we not questioning the fact that I'm alive inside her?" Ilia asked.

"No time," Yang shrugged, "Gotta kill a werewolf!"

 **Yang flew through the air with a kick, Raven leaned back and dodged it.**

" **Don't get fancy!" Ilia ordered, "Lay into her! Make it hurt!"**

 **Yang used her vampiric aura to create a makeshift web on the floor. It spread out behind Raven and jumped up to impale her. Raven's body exploded, causing the crates around her to fall over and spill their contents. Raven gracefully landed once again on Yang's vampiric tendrils.**

" **Can you believe this chick?" Ilia scoffed, "A wolfgirl with a flare for the theatrical. What is the world coming to, ma chere?"**

" **Bloody werewolves," Yang felt something odd under her hand, she turned it over revealing a gold tooth, "What's this? It's a gold tooth? Oh god! Is all this?!"**

" **Disgusting non?" Ilia asked, "It's plunder from when they ransacked Vale half a century ago. These bastards shook out whole countries like piggy banks, taking anything of value, no matter how small. Everything from gold ingots and wads of cash, down to pocket watches and gold teeth. The fearsome Schutzstaffel. They think they're Nietzche's wet-dream, but they're just vultures picking at the dead. They're a bunch of misfits who think war is a costume ball, The Invisible Army? The Knights of Steel? Hah! What a pack of losers!"**

"That's not even the half of it," Ghira growled.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"They melted the gold into ingots and molded their insignia," Kali explained for him, "Countless of them were forged…"

 **Raven kicked something at Yang, she grabbed it and opened her palm…**

" **Silver?" Yang stared at the tooth in her hand, "But, couldn't this?"**

" **What a good doggy," Ilia mocked, "Giving you the tools to put her down."**

" **She lead me here on purpose…" Yang stared at Raven.**

"She kicked you through the floor," Weiss shook her head, "How's that leading you there?"

"I knew what I was doing," Raven commented, "I knew where she would land and how much force to kick her with."

" **So be it," Ilia said, "Le chien d'attaque wants to die, let's oblige her, ma chere!"**

" **I hardly think you're in a position to be calling someone an "attack dog." I'd really prefer if you didn't smoke inside of me."**

 **Ilia laughed, "She's coming. Don't run take the hit."**

" **Right!" Yang readied herself.**

 **Raven charged and kicked Yang's arm. The force behind it shattering the bone. Yang made a crater as she impacted the wall.**

" **NOW!" Ilia ordered, "Allez, ma chere! Take her out! When she hits you, you hit her right back!"**

" **You god!" Yang roared as she used her vampiric aura to rip a missile out from the wall behind her. She threw it at Raven, and she kicked it back at Yang. Causing an explosion and loot to fly everywhere.**

" **She wasn't even phased!" Yang descended with a kick.**

" **Doesn't matter!" Ilia said.**

" **Let's do this!" Yang yelled.**

" **RIGHT!" Ilia agreed, "GIVE HER HELL!"**

 **Yang met Raven's fist with enough force to completely shatter both of their arms. Raven tried to kick again, but Yang caught her leg with her mouth. Yang tossed the silver tooth in the air, and Ilia caught it.**

" **You took these in the camps," Ilia's torso replaced Yang's vampiric aura, "And finally, your sins from fifty years ago have all come home…to bite you!" Ilia forced her hand into Raven's chest and the silver tooth into her heart. "That's what happens when you mess with ma chere, she breaks your heart. Adieu chien d'attaque!"**

 **Raven fell to her knees, then lay on her back. She smiled as she felt it finally end. She was then consumed with fire. The blue flames took the shape of a wolf, and it let out one final, sorrowful howl.**

The faunus in the room knew what that howl meant. They bowed their heads and remained silent for a moment for her.

" **She looked like a child," Yang watched the flames die down, "Who'd just woken up from a pleasant dream…these men…they've been trapped in the same dream since World War II. But tonight Miss. Amitola, I wake them up. All of them!"**

" **Yes," Ilia returned inside Yang, "Yes, you will. Now end this charade…grind those antiques down to dust. Go! En avant!"**

 **Meanwhile, Glynda was walking down the hall that Raven pointed out to her. She ended up in the control room where more than half of the monitors were destroyed.**

" **Show yourself!" Glynda demanded.**

" **Ah," Adam turned around in his chair to face her, "Willkommen! Frauline, I'm so glad we finally get to meet each other in the flesh!"**

"NO!" Everyone cried.

"No more speeches!" Nora fell out of her chair.

 **Glynda began shooting at Adam, but her bullets ricocheted off a piece of glass. Glynda reloaded and kept shooting.**

" **Oh," Adam shook his head, "I don't think that gun is going to be very helpful. Sorry, should have warned you about the glass."**

 **Glynda tosses the gun aside and drove her sword into the glass. Only the blade broke against the glass.**

" **I feared you might not make it here in time for the main event," Adam rose from his chair to mock her, "What a tragedy that would have been! You see, this extravaganza is one-night-only. Luckily, I've got the best seat in the house, and a winsome Goodwitch on my arm!"**

" **You coward!" Glynda screamed as Adam took his seat.**

" **You are in for such a treat!" Adam ignored her insult, "Enjoy!" Adam turned the monitors on to show Salem laughing while blood flowed into her body. "You know, you only see this sort of thing once a century. In fact, the last time this happened was back in 1898. It's been a while, ja? But this time, the tragic hero Jaune will utterly cease to exist when the curtain falls!"**

"I told you had a plan!" Adam cheered.

"I don't think that's something to be shouting," Cinder pointed behind her.

Adam turned around and saw the menacing glares from RWBY and NPR.

" **He'll what?" Glynda turned back to Adam.**

 **In the burning ruins of Vale, was a bell tower. In said bell tower was Blake, she watched the great river of blood flow on the streets below. She drew a dagger from behind her and laughed as she cut her own head off and her body fell into the river.**

 **The blood was flowing all around and into Salem.**

" **This is more than I could ever drink!" Salem laughed, "Well…" she posed, "Dear Ozma…care to dance?"**

"Who?" Nora asked.

"NOBODY!" Salem and Ozpin yelled.

"Okay damn," Nora shrunk in her seat.

" **Oh yes," Oscar readied his wires, "I'll see it through to the end…I just need time! This isn't over! Major! I beg you! Give me more time!"**

" **Nein," Adam shook his head, "It's already done…it's too late."**

" **It is too late," Ghira agreed, "For everything."**

" **Take your best shot little boy!" Salem demanded.**

 **Oscar jumped up and sliced Salem in half from head to naval.**

" **I fear that ship has sailed," Adam spoke as Salem regenerated, "You cannot kill him now no matter what you do. Ja, no belabor the point, but this was a one-time deal. I gave you the proverbial keys to the kingdom, the black check, the golden ticket to the chocolate factory…your second chance to defeat Jaune, man-to-man…and you botched it Ozpin. One-thousand White Fang vampires of The Last Battalion, three-thousand zealots fighting in the Vatican's Ninth Crusade, The Iscariot Organization, our heirsute Captain, The Papist Pyrrha Nikos, and the sum total of your own life, Ozpin. They were sacrificed, all of them, to allow for this moment…this once in a lifetime opportunity…your one chance to kill Jaune, and still you couldn't best him. How many lives are still sloshing around in his gullet? One-million? Two-million perhaps? Victory is now lost to you Ozpin. Your sole reason for living has just gone up in smoke."**

"Even your lectures are boring," Cinder sighed.

"Like you're one to talk," Mercury scoffed.

"I'm sorry?" Cinder turned to her.

 **Salem grabbed Oscar and lifted him to her eyes, "You've been deluding yourself, traitor…use your head…you couldn't win if you tried a thousand times. In the end, Pyrrha wasn't strong enough to beat me…and if she couldn't do it you haven't a chance in hell. You could face me every day for a thousand years Ozma, and I'd tear you apart each time."**

" **The king has no moves left," Adam resumed, "Checkmate. I've won. You are bested Jaune! Accept your defeat!"**

" **Hardly," Salem smirked, "I've never been stronger…me, defeated?"**

" **Defeated?" Jaune asked, "You presume much in saying that…My strength is at its peak, Professor Goodwitch…I am unstoppable!"**

" **I can never lose!" Joan spoke, "Not ever…"**

" **Wait…" Salem gasped, "This sunrise…I've seen this…is this the past? Or is this happening now? I don't know…" she saw the many forms Pyrrha had taken over their five-hundred-year rivalry.**

" **I remember…" Jaune gasped, "I've seen this dawn…"**

" **That morning…" Joan was under the tree where she was burned, "The sky looked just like this…"**

" **Every time I die…" Salem stared at the sunset, "This is the vision that greets my eyes…and every time, I think: "How lovely, that sunlight, which I forsook so many centuries ago…"**

"So, did she see it when Ozpin cut her in half?" Pyrrha tilted her head.

"That," Salem thought it over, "Is…a really good question…"

"He does die a lot," Ren said, "It would be weird to see a sunset every single time…or she? Goddamn it Jaune pick a fucking body!"

 **Eyes began spilling out of Salem.**

 **Adam snapped his fingers, "Life is but a walking shadow a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more."**

 **Salem watched her eyes close.**

" **What's this?!" Glynda gasped, "What have you done?! Answer me!"**

" **It's more a question of "Where," Adam explained, "He absorbed the essence of Warrant Officer Belladonna. But, as you can see, this meal isn't quite agreeing with him is it, mein frauline? By drinking Belladonna's blood, Jaune has become the paradoxical cat. He is now shackled by infinite possibility. A Cheshire chasing its unknowable tail across the endless vista…As long as he is self-aware, he is everywhere and nowhere. But that conundrum is now multiplied by the millions of lives and consciousnesses within Jaune. To wit, he is no longer capable of recognizing himself. What's it all mean, you ask? Jaune is kaput, gone! Not alive, dead, or even undead. He has become abstraction…he is…an imaginary number."**

" **Jaune!" Glynda yelled as his millions of eyes began to close one-by-one, "Don't close your eyes! Heed my voice!" The massive eye on his chest began to close, "Jaune!" His body started to become lighter, "I'm giving you…" Glynda clenched her fist, "An order…DON'T LEAVE ME!"**

" **I fear," Jaune closed his eyes, "I must disobey you…farewell Glynda."**

 **With those final words, Jaune's body vanished, leaving only his bloody symbol in his place. Glynda stared wide eyed at the screen.**

The students and teachers in the audience were too stunned to speak.

" **JAUUUUUUNE!" Glynda** and the Audience screamed.

 **One final explosion shattered every monitor in the room.**

" **Everything I had, I gave for this moment." Adam said, "And in this moment I took everything he had. How long have I waited for this day…the thought of it pulled me forward, decade after decade…I admit, after all the defeats I have known…victory's taste is strange to me."**

" **Bastard," Glynda spat, "I'll end you."**

" **This victory," Adam rubbed it in, "It has hints of blood…and of iron…I love it."**

 **Through the fire, Yang jumped to Glynda's side. Adam raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. They shared a glance before both looked back at Adam.**

" **Which one of you will kill me?" Adam asked, "Or maybe I put a bullet into your pretty little heads."**

 **Jaune's scarf was floating in the wind, Oscar caught it with one hand, and began laughing.**

" **The Great Jaune is dead!" Oscar laughed, "He's dead…and I still stand." Oscar fell to his knees and began crying. "Damn it all to hell. I wanted Jaune bested, that was the bloody point…and that's what I got…why does it feel?" Oscar was cut off with a bullet to the belly.**

" **You!" Nora slurred as she stood up, "You butchered Ren! Blowing your head off isn't just the Lord's work! It's a pleasure!"**

" **So you would shoot me?" Oscar asked, "Slumped on a wall? A traitor's death is exactly what I deserve…fire when ready…I shall not dodge it."**

 **Nora took aim, "Oscar P. Ozpin…The Angel of Death…I kill you in the name of God!"**

" **What's wrong sniper?" Oscar asked waiting for the bullet, "Scared?"**

" **Damn you!" Nora yelled, "I'm not scared!" She fired until she was out of ammo. Each bullet hitting Oscar's body. "Just die!" Nora drew her pistol and reloaded it, "Don't worry, we're not done! I've got more!" She began running toward Oscar.**

" **You can shoot at me until your magazine runs dry," Oscar watched her draw near, "But…No one dies without the Major's permission." Oscar used his wires to remove both Nora's left arm and leg.**

"AGAIN, WITH THE LIMBS!" Yang threw her arms up.

" **Where are you going?!" Nora demanded as Oscar began limping away, "Come back…I'll kill you! Kill you! KILL YOU!"**

" **I have to reach him," Oscar used his wires to propel himself onto the Zeppelin.**

" **Well it's nice to finally meet you in person, child." Adam looked at Yang, "You joined us at the absolute perfect moment…I am at something of a crossroads, it seems. Jaune has been my archenemy for many decades…but now, the position of archenemy has fallen vacant. Seeing as how you're his closest compatriots…I think the title of archenemy should fall upon your shoulders! Don't be shy ladies…your nemesis is here! Right in front of you! Don't squander this moment! Wreck delicious revenge upon me! Or am I too much for you?"**

" **Do it Yang," Glynda ordered, "Shoot him. Now. FIRE! FIRE UPON THIS MADMAN! ERASE HIS VILLAINY FROM THE EARTH!"**

 **Yang screamed as she began firing at the glass.**

" **Verdammt," Adam sighed, "You built too strong a shield, Doctor."**

 **Yang threw the rifle aside and used her vampiric aura to reach deep within the ship and pull out one of the ship's cannons.**

" **LOOK AT THAT HARONNEN!" Adam practically giggled, "EIGHTY-EIGHT MILLIMETERS!"**

 **Yang took aim and fired. The bullet ripped through the glass like tissue paper, through Adam, and out the other side hitting the same bell tower where Blake once stood.**

" **Burn in hell you swine," Glynda glared.**

" **I will," Adam strained, "But not just yet. Sorry to disappoint you Goodwitch."**

" **Impossible," Glynda gasped, "I saw the shell hit you! You're dead!"**

" **That is where you're wrong," the smoke cleared revealing half of Adam's body was gone, "I have never been more alive!"**

" **He's a machine!" Yang gasped at the mechanical parts struggling to move inside Adam's frame.**

" **Good gracious," Adam gasped, "Didn't your mother ever teach you that it's rude to stare? Machinery aside, I am just as human now as I ever was, Frauline."**

" **Look at you Major," Glynda sounded disappointed, "A clockwork monstrosity…"**

" **Deny it all you want…my humanity is not in question. I still have that one trait that puts us in ascendance, even above the angels. It is my will that drives me. The Vampires you were so happy to keep in your employ…without the life blood of others to keep them going, they would shamble to a halt. If it's a monster you want, look no further than Jaune and this this little one, playing at immortality. Don't mention me in the same breath as that fraud. So long as I am propelled forward by my own unadulterated will, I am heir to something Jaune can only steal…even if I were reduced to nothing more than a brain in a jar, synapses firing in a sea of pure thought…I am human, just like you are. Within me, rests a human soul…and a human's will, precious beyond all worth! He smiles at you in the form of a young girl…or pulls at your heartstrings in the guise of a weary veteran…so many faces the monster has…and all of them stolen…all of them lies! I despise him…every cell in my body called for his annihilation…so I destroyed his kingdom and cast him down into the dust! Fitting that it took a man with the trappings of a monster to slay a monster with the trappings of a man…he was a casualty to my will…my enemy is not human…my enemy is less than human…since the earliest dawning of mankind, this is the battlecry…it just happened to be more literal in my case…that battlecry…those thoughts are running your mind right now, aren't they? I planted the seeds of this war half a century ago. Now, show me what has blossomed."**

"Even with half a body he's still fucking talking!" Adam slammed his head into the chair in front of him.

"If we're lucky this is his final speech," Cinder rubbed her temples.

"I swear I haven't heard myself talk this much before," Adam shook his head, "For the love of God please let this be the last one."

 **Glynda took off her jacket revealing an old pistol on her hip. Adam smiled and drew his from his coat. Glynda began walking toward him, while Adam fired at her, missing every shot. Only until she was right in front of him did he finally manage to shoot her eye. Glynda shot once and hit him right in the forehead.**

" **I finally hit something," Adam laughed as he fell on his back, "Ah, excellent. This was exactly, what I hoped my war would be…" with that, Adam finally died.**

" **You're wrong," Glynda sighed, "No one will think of this as a war. This was…just an exchange of bullets." Glynda lit a cigar, "The death rattle of a sad lunatic half a century past his prime. I hardly think of you as a proper opponent. You needed to be put down Major. Of that, there is no doubt. For all your talk of humanity, there wasn't a shred of it left to be found in you…perhaps there never was. You died as you lived, a cowardly beast. A monster's reign of terror may be bloody and long…but it's only a matter of time before they fall. Foolish creature, mankind is a slave to duty…and there is no greater duty than to purge one's enemy from the earth. Your humanity was but a pale façade…Jaune can't be bested by such imposters!"**

"So," Nora found her voice again, "Jaune will come back?"

"She thinks he will," Salem nodded.

" **Is it over?" Ghira was in his lab, "No, it isn't…it can't be. Technology and science speed ahead, neck and neck! Each of them a bay in hound in the elusive hunt for knowledge! So what is missing? What component? What spark? What alchemy? The trail is cold, the quarry eludes me, but I mustn't lose heart. I will gather my hounds and live to hunt another day! And soon the world will tremble! When they behold what I have wrought! Science that shatters reason and puts the miracles of old to shame!"**

Everyone looked at Oobleck.

"Well," Oobleck shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "I agree with his last statement, but even science has it's limits. There are lines you do not cross!"

" **Leaving so soon are we, Herr Doktor?" Oscar asked, "Your best wasn't good enough. The least you could do is lose with some dignity and grace."**

" **Ozpin, what are you saying?" Ghira demanded.**

" **For all your talk of a thousand-year Reich we bollocks this up pretty good, didn't we?" Oscar smiled at him.**

" **You…" Ghira hissed, "You broken piece of shit!"**

" **Really Doctor?" Oscar mocked, "You're quite the piece of shit yourself. All your toys have fallen short, myself included, how could we not? Like: "The doctor in Spite of Himself." Your science wasn't good enough, don't you understand? Your life's a farce."**

" **A farce?" Ghira struggled to say, "You dare denigrate my work by comparing it to some fluff by Moliere?"**

" **Moliere?" Oscar chuckled, "You should be so lucky. We are the evening's entertainment…and I just wanted to do something with my time on the stage worthy of applause." Oscar struggled to stand, he tried to use his right arm, but it turned into goo. "Life is so damned cruel…Jaune coped with it for centuries. I truly don't envy him that."**

"So much for going back to childhood," Ilia watched.

"I guess we're just skipping right to nothingness," Ghira chuckled.

"Aw," Ruby slumped her shoulders, "I wanted to see baby Ozpin."

"Ruby no," Yang flicked her sister's forehead.

" **You're nothing more than a broken turncoat!" Ghira yelled, "How dare you address me like this?! You would lay in a heap and mock us?! You are a weapon! Nothing but a tool in the hands of your betters! If you look down your nose at our plans, I'll cut it off! I will not allow you to mock the work I have done! I am a visionary, I am a medical prophet! What I have done with my vampires is just the beginning! We will surpass her!" Ghira pointed to a coffin behind him, "Jaune's best will be nothing!"**

" **As lovely as that sounds…" Oscar was growing weaker, "None of it is going to happen Doctor…your research dies with you, tonight."**

" **SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Ghira pulled the remote to detonate the chip in Oscar's head.**

 **Oscar's wires wrapped around his arm and leg and diced them to pieces. Ghira fell back grabbing the coffin, tearing off the lid, revealing a skeleton within.**

Yang and Weiss fell out of their chairs screaming unintelligible noises.

"Skelemons!" Ruby and Nora pointed at the screen.

" **Cinder Fall," Oscar examined the bones, "The ghoulish centerpiece of your sad ambitions…the only person to have ever been fed upon by Jaune and then feed upon him in turn…quite the trick! They say she returned to normal after Professor Goodwitch defeated her master, but the beast never quite let go…Jaune's essence hides deep in her bones. And so it waited out the long years in slumber. Immune to time, to the Eucharist, to holy water. Even to the cross itself…a microscopic transgression against god. I suppose you couldn't help yourselves really…awakening it like you did. You dug up her coffin like a common grave-robber and did things to her bones that should never be spoken of. When everything is said and done all you did was crank out two-bit imitations. If that doesn't qualify as a farce, then I don't know what does. The show is over, Cinder. The curtain's falling. We've taken our bows. It's high time we make our exit." Ghira screamed as Oscar cut a piece of the air duct and dropped it on him, "Perfect shot…" Oscar sat down and lit a cigarette as the lab around him was covered in fire, "It's a damn shame, I'd hoped to give Jaune a proper send-up. We had a good run, Master Glynda." The cigarette fell from his fingers and the lab was consumed by fire.**

"Well then," Cinder crossed her arms, "I may not be in it for long, but the part I got was something."

"Oh great," Watts sighed, "Something else to fill your already fattened head."

"Oh, hush now," Cinder dismissed, "You're just sad you're yet to be shown in any of these."

" **OZPIN!" Glynda cried, "The Angel of Death is no more, Yang."**

" **Yes," Yang nodded as the control room exploded.**

" **I am tired," Glynda sighed, "Let's return home…to what's left of it…LET'S GO!"**

 **Yang wrapped her vampiric aura around Glynda and took off. There was a final shot of something everyone who had passed possessed. Ironwood's archbishop scarf, Blake's tie, Raven's dog tags, Pyrrha's spear, Roman's playing cards, Ruby's scythe, Ozpin's monocle, Ghira's glasses, Emerald's gun, Weiss' beanie, Winter's dagger, Ilia's uniform, finally was Adam's body burning.**

… **30 years later…**

" **The White Fang's Bio-Terrorist attack," a man at a typewriter spoke to an ancient Peach, "Report 117: Atlesian casualties 64,300 including the Headmaster and the Council. Valen Casualties, 3,708,917."**

"That's more than eighty-percent of the population!" Port spit out his drink.

"Bio-Terrorist Attack?" Ruby asked, "Is that what they're calling it?"

"You can't just say Vampires attacked out of the blue," Roman shrugged, "Gotta sugar coat it for the delicate little flowers."

" **Isn't this your day for fencing?" Peach asked, "Not like you to skip class."**

" **Quite," Sir Oobleck the Fourth nodded, "But reading these reports takes top priority. Should anyone care to replicate the attack from thirty-years ago…I daresay I won't be able to repel it with a saber at the ready."**

" **God's truth, Sir Oobleck." Peach groaned, "You make that face you're making right now…you remind me a hell of a lot of your great-grandfather."**

 **Meanwhile, in the fencing room. Two swordsmen were dueling each other. One disarmed the other.**

" **Fencers halt!" Yang called the match, "That's the match! Sir Glynda Wins!"**

 **Glynda removed her helmet revealing her aged face, white hair, and eyepatch.**

" **That was truly magnificent!" Makube clapped, "The years have robbed you of none of your vigor with a blade!"**

" **Don't you start," Glynda snapped, "I asked for Section thirteen to wait in the lobby."**

"He's supposed to be the new Pyrrha?" Nora scoffed, "I already don't like him. He's even trying to copy the scar Zombie Pyrrha had!"

"I think he's meant to be the new Ironwood," Winter scrunched her face, "I agree, I don't like him."

" **Yes," Makube nodded, "You did…but it's not in my nature to sit and await notice from a host and besides, when no one could even be bothered to offer us any tea, I had to find my own amusement."**

" **Well you can't have the run of the place, Papist," Glynda sneered, "Back to the lobby with you." Yang nodded behind Glynda.**

" **Yes," Makube sighed, "Fine…I meant no disrespect…"**

 **Nora glared and hissed at Yang as she stepped out of the shadows. Yang just smirked as Nora walked away with Makube.**

"Someone's jelly," Yang smirked at Nora.

"Well how would you feel if someone that was the same age as you yesterday didn't age for thirty-fucking-years?" Nora threw her arms up.

"Silver lining?" Yang weakly eeped, "Not many wrinkles for half a face?"

Nora's grip around her hammer tightened.

" **Chief Makube," another priest spoke as they walked, "The security in this building's as bad as ever…we could conquer them right now."**

" **So naïve," Nora slurred as she made a fist and punched the wall, "There's more to this place than you know."**

" **OW!" Ilia screamed, "THAT HURT! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"**

" **Oh my god," the priest gasped.**

" **Meet Yang Xiao-Long's shadow," Makube explained, "It wraps around the whole mansion, and every person inside."**

" **We would die," Nora finished for him, "But we would take out half the Round Table before we did, Chief Makube."**

" **Another day perhaps," Makube shook his head, "The church is still licking its wounds…the losses we incurred in the Ninth Crusade still cut us to the very marrow…for now…we bide our time. We've waited five-hundred years…at this point what is another one or two-hundred, right? The Tenth Crusade will set all of this right."**

"They're going to try again?" Ironwood asked, "Are they stupid?"

"That's usually how it works," Qrow shrugged, "Time passes and people swing back to the ideas that failed them in the past. Only this time they think they can do it better a second time around."

"Or tenth in this case," Ozpin sighed.

"Do they know the definition of insanity?" Nora asked.

"Probably not considering they're trying again for the tenth time," Weiss shook her head.

" **I think that's enough training for now," Glynda sighed, "Let's call it a day. Sir Port, thank you so much for a bracing match."**

" **It was bracing?" Sir Port asked.**

" **Your form's much improved," Glynda nodded, "You've been practicing."**

" **Thank you," Sir Port stood dumbfounded, "I mean, I have…but I've got a long way to go. My grandfather, I was curious…I've heard some rather conflicting stories about his swordsmanship."**

" **You want the truth do you?" Glynda asked, "Your grandfather tore through the White Fang horde as if they were paper! He laid hundreds of them low with blade and pistol before strapping satchel-charges onto himself and blowing a zeppelin clean to hell! Sir Peter Port's heroics have yet to be matched! He was Vale's protector, I lost my left eye trying to duel him for fun one day."**

"OH-HO!" Port jumped up and puffed his chest out.

"Peter," Glynda sighed, "I don't think any of that is true."

" **That can't be true," Sir Port gawked.**

" **It's all the truth!" Glynda insisted, "The unvarnished whole truth! Every word of it! I'd like to honor his memory with a new helicopter! What do you say?"**

" **You want another one?!" Sir Port gasped.**

" **Do it for grandfather," Glynda said.**

" **Alright," Sir Port the Third sighed. Before running off crying.**

" **I'll take that as a yes," Glynda waved as he ran away.**

" **I hate you!" Sir Port yelled back.**

" **I pity the man," Yang sighed, "You treat him so badly…I know he's a nitwit, but he does have feelings."**

" **He could use some adversity in his life," Glynda lectured, "They all could and the sooner they man up, the better. When I die, Goodwitch comes to an end. The family and the Organization both. It will fall upon Port and his ilk to carry the torch, as part of a state-run, government agency. Hereditary leadership has run its course." Glynda sighed, "The years weigh heavily on me today."**

"It for a good cause," Port sat back down, "Your delivery was perfect Glynda."

"Whatever you say Peter," Glynda smiled.

" **Huh?" Yang asked, "You're just as young as the day I met you."**

" **I discovered another wrinkle when I looked in the mirror today!" Glynda got right in Yang's face, "When I saw that new wrinkle…I couldn't help but think of Ozpin."**

" **Stiff upper lip Master Glynda," A little ghost head os Ozpin appeared.**

" **Why's he here?" Yang watched the head vanish, "Well there's no point moping about! Some of Vale's greatest women had wrinkles, so where's the shame in it? And no more of this talk about dying! I can drink your blood is you like! Or I could go all Jaune…" Glynda quickly turned around and kicked Yang in the face. "Why did you kick me?! That hurt!"**

" **That is not something you joke about!" Glynda scolded, "Haven't you learned anything?! And don't think that master of yours is off the hook! He skipped out and never came back! And if he does come back I will have WORDS!"**

 **Yang undid the top buttons on her blouse revealing two holes, "Oh, he'll return, all right…I know that because he drank my blood…just try to be patient a little while longer…"**

" **You've been saying that for thirty years, Yang," Glynda sighed, "THIRTY YEARS! Of course you can wait patiently, you're a bloody vampire."**

" **Frowning makes more wrinkles," yang singsonged.**

" **Such a mouth on you!" Glynda pinched her cheek and pulled, "Apologize! Apologize damnit!"**

" **I'm sowwy ok!" Yang yelled, "I weally am! Please, leggo!"**

 **Meanwhile in the sub-basement. Was Jaune's coffin. On top was the pice of cinder with his bloody sigil still on it. A few drops of blood fell on the coffin. The blood took form spelling out, "I am the bird of Hermès, eating mine own wings, to keep myself tame."**

 **Jaune stepped toward a sleeping Glynda. He stopped right at her bedside. He leaned forward and opened his fanged mouth. When Glynda woke up and began shooting him.**

" **ARE WE UNDER ATTACK AGAIN MASTER?!" Yang kicked open the door with a machine gun in each hand. She gasped as she turned on the lights.**

"Nice panties Yang," Nora snickered.

"Have some modesty woman!" Ruby scolded.

"Oh please!" Yang shouted.

"At least she's wearing panties," Weiss shrugged.

"What was that?" Taiyang turned his eyes to his daughter.

"What do you expect coming from a woman who fights literally half naked?" Qrow looked at his sister.

"If you got it, flaunt it," Raven scoffed.

" **Such a violent welcome," Jaune laughed, "What an honor, I feared you'd forgotten about me."**

" **You're back!" Yang cheered.**

" **You're a bit later than I expected Jaune," Glynda sat on her bed, "Care to explain yourself?"**

" **Killing oneself takes some time," Jaune explained, "In my case, there was a lot of self to kill. 3,424,867 souls were within me, clouding my mind, denying me awareness… I butchered them all until only I remained. I have returned here, but I'm also always nowhere…it's a conundrum…the truth is: I am everywhere."**

"I am even inside a movie theater across dimensions." Jaune said as he popped up in the room.

"JAUNE!" Nora jumped up and tackled him.

"You know I'm not," Jaune stopped once he felt his coat getting wet.

Nora shook her head, "It doesn't matter. No matter what universe we see. No matter what anyone says. Jaune is Jaune you're my friend and my fearless leader."

Vampire Jaune was significantly taller than Nora. Even as he knelt and lifted her face to his, he was still just as tall as her. "You are a good friend Nora. I have a feeling this Jaune is lucky to know you."

"You met him?" Nora wiped her eyes.

Vampire Jaune nodded, "It was quite the sight seeing him freak out when a second him appeared in his room. Especially when the other you is a vampire. Your husband tried to remove my head!" He pointed at Pyrrha, "Then again, that's how you kill vampires in that universe."

"You've been to the Devil One?" Ruby asked jumping up.

"I am everywhere," Vampire Jaune smiled, "I've seen the Devil One, the Pirate one, the Cowboy, the Ninjas, the Civil War. Then I had an idea."

"I'm scared," Yang shrunk.

Vampire Jaune chuckled, "Don't worry Huntress. It's not that bad, maybe. But I had an idea, since you are enjoying watching the Jaunes from the multiverses, why don't they come and say: "Hi?"

"What did you do?" Salem leaned forward.

"Now why ruin the surprise now?" Vampire Jaune looked up at Ozpin. His knuckles popped as he stared at the headmaster, "I am everywhere. I've seen this universe's past…you may be just as bad if not worse than my Ozpin, and I assume you know how I feel about my Ozpin." Vampire Jaune sighed, "Anyway. I should let you enjoy the rest of my universe. I see you later."

"Jaune wait!" Pyrrha tried to stop him.

"We'll have plenty of time to fight another day, my nemesis," Vampire Jaune's voice laughed, "It's good to see you still alive. I can't wait for you to see the other universes you're in. They're quite the ride."

" **You've returned," Glynda looked back at Jaune with her patched eye, "And in the meantime…I have grown old and gray."**

" **Do forgive me," Jaune smiled.**

" **Were you skulking in here to drink my blood?" Glynda smiled and turned her head to actually see Jaune.**

 **Jaune laughed, "You need to ask? I haven't eaten anything in thirty years! I'm famished…"**

 **Glynda rose from her bed and walked over to him, "The young woman you knew is gone…I'm ancient…"**

" **And I'm not?" Jaune looked up at her.**

 **Glynda bit her finger till it bled, she held it over Jaune's mouth, "You're home my dear Count."**

" **Back forevermore my Countess," Jaune extended his tongue and let the blood drop on the tip.**

 **The final shot was of a blood red moon, and a single bat flying out of view…**

"Wait," Glynda held up her hand, "Where Jaune and I together throughout all of that?!"

"I think it's more like it is now," Port thought it over, "Because he never says anything else like it throughout the series."

"I say they have something going on," Blake pointed out, "Why else would he do everything she tells him without question?"

"You just want that to be true so it'll match with the books you read," Weiss sighed.

Blake blushed while Yang giggled.

"Maybe it's open to interpretation," Emerald shrugged.

"Can he still turn into Joan?" Nora asked.

"I think so?" Pyrrha thought it over, "I mean, he IS Joan, he just needs to change back. I think he can't just summon that horde anymore."

"He butchered every should within him," Salem repeated, "And with the cat's blood flowing within him, he can't eat another soul or he'll die again."

"How will he live?" Nora asked Salem.

"Probably by drinking blood, but not killing the victim." Salem shrugged, "I have no idea."

"Anyone else notice his coat is purple now instead of red?" Weiss pointed out, "Same with his eyes."

…

 **The scene opened one a ruined world.**

" **I come from Remnant," a familiar voice narrated, "A planet of outlaws. My name is Cardin Winchester, but there's one other name you might know me by: Star Lord."**

" **Who?" the blue-eyed alien asked as he and his men pointed their guns at Cardin.**

" **Star Lord man," Cardin sighed and slumped his shoulders, "Legendary Outlaw? Guys?"**

 **The blue-eyes shrugged and looked his men who shook their heads.**

" **Forget it," Cardin fell backwards to dodge the blast from the alien cannon. Then used his thrusters to fly out of the new hole in the wall. They began chasing him, shooting at his feet, but Cardin jumped and took off in his ship. When a guitar intro began.**

" **So here we are," Cardin voiced over him and his gang walking in slow motion.**

" **A thief," Cardin was sprayed with a red liquid by floating drones.**

" **Two thugs," Zwei was loading a rifle while a tree was throwing people around.**

" **An assassin," Velvet used a sword to cut a man into three new pieces.**

" **And a maniac," Russel kicked one guard and headbutted another.**

" **But we're not going to stand by while evil wipes out the galaxy," a blue skinned alien held a purple stone in his hand.**

" **SO I guess we're stuck together," Cardin had to break up a fight between Russel and Velvet, "Partners?"**

" **Are you telling me?" the police captain spoke to her second, "That the fate of twelve-billion people rests in the hands of these criminals?!"**

" **Oh yeah," Zwei cooed as he jumped on the tree's back and began firing while the tree roared. On the floor above, Velvet jumped in the air, and kicked a man in the throat with both feet. Cardin was in another hallway with twin pistols.**

 **All**

 **Heroes**

 **Cardin had a fake leg over his shoulder. Zwei had the biggest gun out of all of them. Velvet had her hand on her hip. Russel had his arms crossed. The tree was standing in the back. While the one security guard held up his hands.**

 **They were in his ship flying toward a skull?**

 **Start**

 **Somewhere**

 **The tree slammed a man onto the ground. While the blue alien had moved the stone to his hammer. Russel had his daggers and was slicing people left and right. Tree was releasing glow bulbs into the air through his arm.**

" **I look around you know what I see?" Cardin voiced over his ship being chased and shot at, "Losers." Zwei and Russel glared at him. "But life's giving us a chance."**

" **To do what?" Russel asked.**

" **Something good," Tree gave a little girl a flower.**

" **Something bad," Velvet was topless and had her back to Cardin.**

" **Little bit of both," Everybody was suiting up.**

" **What the hell?" Zwei sighed, "I don't have that long of a lifespan anyway.**

 **Green blood was flying as Russel kept swinging. Velvet came face to face with Penny. Cardin had a HUGE gun strapped to his chest. Zwei was piloting the ship, screaming as he outran an explosion. The blue alien held Russel by his neck. Lionheart waved at the camera. Velvet and Cardin were close to kissing. Russel was yelling at a whole armada with his daggers in his hand. Tree was roaring with a device in his hands. Velvet was screaming reaching out for someone. Tree hit the play button on the tape deck with a cassette labeled: "Awesome Mix Vol. 1"**

 **AHHHHH-AH-AH! HOOKED ON A FEELING!**

 **Cardin Winchester.**

 **I'M HIGH ON BELIEVING**

 **Velvet Scarlatina**

 **THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME**

 **Russel Thrush**

 **Groot**

 **And Zwei.**

" **Ain't no thing like me, except me," Zwei puffed his chest out.**

" **They call themselves the Guardians of the Galaxy, this might not be the best idea…"**

 **AHHHHH-AH-AH! HOOKED ON A FEELING!**

 **Guardians of the Galaxy.**

"Space travel?" Weiss asked.

"This'll be good," Cardin took his seat.

"You're telling me," Russel sat next to him.

"Are we ignoring the talking dog?" Dove asked.

"And the talking tree?" Sky asked.

"Ozpin?" Glynda looked at her petrified boss.

"I don't even know where to begin with this one…" Ozpin drank.

"Aliens!" Ruby cheered.

"So are the Faunus aliens in this one?" Blake asked angry, but more confused.

"He said he was from earth," Cardin pointed out, "Maybe Faunus are too. How do you refer to yourself in the third person all the time?"

"You get used to it," Ruby shrugged.

"Why am I dating him in this?" Velvet practically spat.

"I really hope we find out," Coco said with as much venom.

…

 **And so begins the long ass road to Infinity War.**

 **I've got ten years of movies to do, so hold your goddamn horses. I'll get them out as soon as I can, but I still have to work for a living.**

 **Don't forget to donate to the P/a/treon!**

 **Also, the Civil War chapter is now "NON-CANON"**


	25. Merry Christmas

"DYNAMIC!" Jaune flew through the air with his leg extended, "ENTRY!" His foot connected with the door to Team RWBY's room.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON?!" Weiss shrieked as the door flew out the window making a new hole in the process.

"Ah," Might Jaune deeply inhaled, "It is the frost of Winter that tests one youth to the fullest!"

"That made no sense," Captain Jaune entered behind him.

"Made about as much sense as this Christmas Special," DeadJaune came in third.

Team RWBY had to rub their eyes to make sure they were seeing what they were seeing. Especially when King Jaune entered the room.

"What's going on here?" Yang asked looking down from her bed.

"Isn't it obvious?" Captain Jaune asked, "It's your perfect Christmas present. A Jaune just for you."

"You've got to be kidding," Blake dropped the book in her hands.

DeadJaune pulled a ball-gag, a bag of brown powder, and a movie case with Pennywise on the cover, "Oh no, Sexy Kitty."

Blake's nose began to bleed profusely as she pulled DeadJaune into her bed. King Jaune knelt before Weiss and kissed her hand.

"My Lady," he bowed his head.

"Your grace," Weiss blushed, "Perhaps we should give them some privacy?"

"Or we could have some fun of our own," Yang lecherously smiled seeing the scar on Captain Jaune's chest from where his heart was ripped out.

"I do only have one day ashore," Captain Jaune pulled off his coat.

"This is getting really weird," Ruby hugged her pillow.

Might Jaune jumped into Ruby's bed and opened his jacket. He was so built, his pecks had pecks. Ruby dropped her pillow and began to drool.

"Hell yes," Ruby reached out to touch him.

"Wait a minute," Yang protested, "I am not about to let my little sister…"

"Can you please shut up?" Blake poker her head out from her covers with chocolate around her mouth, "You're ruining the mood."

"Yeah, we only have one day here and you guys wanna spend it arguing rather than having this Christmas Orgy?" DeadJaune jumped out of bed stark naked with the ball-gag around his neck, "They say Christmas is a time for giving. And I for one agree, it is a time to give…into your deepest lustful fantasies! Ruby, don't you want to grow out of your sister's shadow and become your own woman? Weiss, don't you want to break free from your father's iron grip? Yang, are you really going to pass up an opportunity with this scared and handsome man? Blake, well, I mean come on, Christmas Orgy? It's not the first one we've done."

Shrugging, King Jaune took off his shirt. He was as built as Might Jaune, but covering his entire chest were scars. Weiss used a glyph to bring the door back into the room and slam it back in place.

"That was interesting," Hunter Jaune tapped the door to JNPR's dorm.

"Hello?" Pyrrha opened the door and gasped.

"Hey you," Hunter Jaune smiled and pulled her into a kiss.

Jaune was shocked to say the least when he saw a second him right in front of him. But he also felt a ping of jealousy at the make-out session taking place right in front of him! Nora jumped up and cheered and pulled Jaune and Ren out of the room to give them their privacy.

"What the hell was that?!" Jaune was about to punch the door.

"That was a second you," Nora explained like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Wait if the devil you was here, who else is?"

Tendo walked through the forest hearing the snow crush under his heel. The cold doesn't bother the dead. He kept walking until he found a gravestone.

"Summer," Tendo sighed, "First Jaune now you?"

"Who are you?" The ghost of Summer appeared behind the gravestone.

"Oh right," Tendo walked over to the edge and looked over the landscape. "In my world the three of us are closer than siblings. Jaune sacrificed himself to save us, and I went on a little rampage."

"Revenge never solves anything," Summer floated next to Tendo.

"Yeah," Tendo chuckled, "I figured that out a little too late. After I flattened Vale into a crater…"

"Wow," Summer was impressed, "I'm alive, and you destroyed my home."

"You helped," Tendo looked at Summer.

"This multiverse thing is giving me a headache," Summer shook her head, "And I'm a ghost! But hey, it's Christmas, can you do me a favor?"

"Oh?" Tendo raised an eyebrow.

"Tell me about us," Summer smiled, "In your universe."

Tendo smiled and thought back to a time when Jaune was still alive, "Ok, so, it all started when Raven Branwen found us in a war-torn city…"

Cowboy Jaune took off his hat and held it in front of his chest. He used two knuckles to knock on Cinder's door. Cinder opened the door and immediately melted at the sight of the grizzled criminal.

"Howdy ma'am," Cowboy Jaune greeted.

"Oh hell yes!" Cinder pulled him by his collar into her room.

In a café in the middle of Vale, Savior Jaune was sitting by the window watching the snow fall down. He smiled at the waitress as she sat his food and coffee in front of him.

"Anything else?" Coco asked.

"No thanks," Savior Jaune shook his head scratching his beard, "Man, I need to shave this shit."

"No," Coco shook her head, "Keep it, it makes you look more rugged."

"Oh?" Savior Jaune smirked, "Then maybe I should."

Coco giggled before being called back, "Merry Christmas Jaune."

"Yeah," Savior Jaune nodded, "Merry Christmas."

As Coco departed, Savior Jaune bit into his food savoring every chew. He looked out the window and for the first time in forever he relaxed and simply watched the snow fall on a peaceful day.

In a pizza parlor staring at a hastily put up tree, a demon hunter was kicking back with a pizza on the table. He had a smirk on his face as the waitress he just charmed out of her shirt walked toward him with a sway in her hips.

Miles outside the city was a parked RV. Sitting outside said RV was Heisenberg. He watched the snow fall wrapped in his winter jacket with a bag of Funoions in his hands. He smiled when he read the paper and saw what a hero Ruby was in this universe rather than his own.

"It's peaceful here isn't it?" Kurama asked Jaune as they sat on a rooftop.

"Yeah," Jaune leaned back with his sleeve flapping in the wind, "The Grimm are a real problem here, but not for long. Least, I hope not."

"Now's not the time to worry about that," Kurama shoved him, "It's time for Christmas cheer."

"You're right!" Jaune jumped off the roof and began playing with the children at the local orphanage.

"Seems like love is in the air," JauneSing sat in his throne on top of Beacon tower looking over the restored Vale.

"Maybe this should've been saved for Valentine's Day," HellsArc was sitting in his own throne next to him, "Although it is going a lot better then the last Christmas I had."

"Oh?" JauneSing was interested, "And what happened last Christmas?"

"I shot Santa," HellsArc shrugged.

"Why would you shoot Father Christmas?" JauneSing asked.

"He startled me," HellsArc shrugged.

"He startled you?" JauneSing asked.

"He. Startled. Me." HellsArc repeated.

"I'm almost afraid to know what happens next," JauneSing sighed.

"Well next I had the huntress secure the sleigh," HellsArc continued his story, "One of the reindeer died but beggars can't be choosers. All the while, Glynda was riding me about "Other options."

"There probably was a lot of options," JauneSing shrugged.

"You sound just like Glynda," HellsArc shook his head, "Neither one of you will let me have my Nightmare Before Christmas moment."

JauneSing knew he was going to regret this, "And what pray tell is "Nightmare Before Christmas?"

HellsArc was stunned beyond words, "I'm just going to ignore that comment. But anyway I got bored after Patch and ditched the sleigh and went for a lovely Moonlit Walk."

"You went through all of that planning just to wonder off?" JauneSing asked.

"I didn't plan any of that!" HellsArc gasped at the insinuation.

"Right," JauneSing smiled, "Santa just happened to land at the Goodwitch Compound, where you just happened to be awake with your gun at that EXACT moment."

"Yep!" HellsArc nodded.

"I would've turned him," JauneSing shrugged.

"What?" HellsArc was surprised.

"Here I thought you were all about doing crazy shit," JauneSing shook his head, "You completely missed out on Vampire Santa!"

"He was married to Mrs. Claus!" HellsArc objected.

"What does marriage have to do with sex?" JauneSing asked.

HellsArc nearly chocked on his drink, "Oh I think I'm starting to like you."

They clinked their drinks together.

"Merry Christmas Joan of Arc," HellsArc smiled.

"Merry Christmas you Crimson Fuck Mothering Vampire," JauneSing smiled.

"Damn right," HellsArc and JauneSing drank their drinks.

In a dimly lit theater, Mr. WarThunder sat with his chili-cheese dog and fries, an eggnog milkshake, and smiled at the Christmas tree on screen. Mrs. WarThunder joined him and lay her head on his shoulder. They both giggled at the sight of Baby WarThunder trying to grab the lights.

"To another perfect year," Mr. WarThunder raised his shake.

"And to our many followers who stuck by while we took our sweet ass time getting these stories out to you," Mrs. WarThunder raised her shake.

"From the WarThunder Family to yours," they spoke simultaneously, "Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."


	26. Happy New Year

"Why did Nora tell me to come here?" Jaune asked walking down the snow covered street. "I'm gonna miss the New Year Party."

"I told her to send you here." Mr. WarThunder twirled a Camacho Cigar with his fingers.

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked, "And how do you know Nora?"

"That'll take too long to explain," Mr. WarThunder took a drag from his cigar, "But long story short: each theater in there has a New Year's Day present in there for you."

"Why not put them all in one theater?" Jaune asked.

"And ruin the fun?" Mr. WarThunder smiled, "Also, I got a lot of shit for this. Because APPARENTLY I left you out of the Christmas fun. Like I didn't have a fucking plan for you."

"What?" Jaune was a little concerned.

"Just go inside." Mr. WarThunder gestured to the theater. A beautiful woman took his hand with a baby wrapped in a blanket in her arms.

"Have a Happy New Year." Mrs. WarThunder winked and they began down the road.

"Yeah," Jaune turned around but the family was gone, "Happy New Year…"

He shrugged and stepped inside the theater lobby. He looked around but didn't see anybody behind the counter. He looked down the hallway and saw the neon light for theater one lit up, but the rest were dimmed out. Shrugging again he decided to go in, once he opened the door he was blinded by a bright light.

When he got his vision back he was greeted with a sight he only thought about in the deepest repressed perverted parts of his mind. He was in a motel room, the only light being made was by candle light, and posing on the bed in transparent red and gold lingerie was Pyrrha Nikos.

"Oh my god…" Jaune gaped as he dropped the car keys in his hand. He looked down and saw he still had his hoodie, but he was wearing a brown leather jacket, "P-Pyrrha? W-What is this?"

"The tradition is that people kiss at the stroke of midnight." Pyrrha seductively sighed and played with a strap on her shoulder, "I was thinking of something more steamy."

"This can't be happening…" Jaune stared at her perfectly toned body through the See-through material.

"You say that every time." Pyrrha pulled him into the bed.

This had to be a dream, Jaune had to be dreaming, this wasn't real. But everything that was happening was telling him otherwise. The heat of her lips, the firmness of her chest, and the nirvana he felt when he was inside her. He did his damnedest to keep up with the Champion. But she was a champion for a reason, and the fact that Jaune could walk after the solid hour they spent together was a miracle. He practically fell back into the theater hall when he opened the hotel's door. He looked up and saw the neon two light up.

"Oh…" he saw the multiple theaters further down the hall, "Best. New Year's Day ever." He saw a statue of a dog with a note in the collar: "Boop the snoot for rejuvenation."

Shrugging, today was already something he wasn't expecting. So he booped it with his index finger and suddenly he felt all of his energy return. With newfound confidence and energy, Jaune swaggered into theater two. The same blinding light hit him and he was in a dojo?

"HELLO!" He saw a familiar boot flying right at him, "JAUNE!" Ruby's boot connected to his face.

"Nope," Jaune groaned on the floor, "Definitely not dreaming…" with reflexes he didn't know he had, he jumped right back to his feet. He was shocked at his own actions, but not as shocked as Ruby in front of him.

"Are you okay Jaune?" She asked.

"Yeah." There wasn't even a bruise, in fact the pain had already started to fade, "I'm doing just fine Ruby! How are you?"

Ruby beamed, "I am great Jaune! What do you say we break in the new year with a sparring match?"

Jaune smirked hoping this would play out like the first theater, "How about something more personal? More close quarters?"

Ruby ducked low and swept Jaune's feet. While flat on his back, Ruby quickly straddled him, "I thought you'd never ask."

Jaune couldn't believe this was gonna happen a second time in the same night! Ruby began to undress, at first he was focused on her black and red bra and panties. Until he noticed horrible scaring on her calf and forearm. She turned around to undo her bra this time he saw surgical scars across her spine.

"Ruby…" Jaune gasped, "What happened to you?"

Ruby chuckled lightly, "I wish I could put it behind me that easily. Talking is supposed to help." she kept her bra on and turned to face him. "Want the long story or the short one?"

Jaune sat up and took her hand, "Everything."

Ruby took a deep breath and nodded, "Two years ago during the Vytal Festival. I was in the paired rounds and my opponent had a semblance that could manipulate sand. I was able to use my speed to get past his sand shield, but he encased himself in sand armor just in case the shield fell."

"What happened then?" Jaune asked.

Ruby smiled once again, "I got him into the air. I opened the Gate of Closing and was kicking him up, down, left, right, and reappearing right in front of him to continue the process!" Ruby's smile faded, "My final attack sent him into the ground, but the gourd he carried his sand in broke his fall. My body was too fatigued, his sand wrapped around my arm and leg…he would have finished me if not for you."

"Me?" Jaune asked.

Ruby nodded, "Right before his sand wrapped around me, you jumped in and knocked all the sand away. He asked why you would save a failure and you responded with: "She's precious to me." My feelings for you where planted then. But they didn't blossom until the day of my surgery. You see, some fragments of bone made it into my spinal cord. The doctors said I should give up my dream of being a huntress."

Jaune scoffed, "Well that was never gonna happen."

Ruby smiled, "It almost did. There was a high possibility of me dying on the operating table. Then one night you came to me: "You've worked hard Ruby. There's no doubt in my mind the surgery will be a success. You have the power to shape your own destiny, and on the one-in-one million chance something should happen to go wrong. Then I will die right along with you. Since the day I met you, I gave my word that I would make you the bestest huntress the world has ever seen. You and I are too alike, we can't survive without our word to guide us."

Ruby began tearing up, Jaune's answer was to connect his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

"I love you Jaune." Ruby moaned.

"I love you Ruby." Jaune pulled her close.

His Ruby was downright adorable, but this Ruby was ripped. He could sharpen Crocea Mors on those puppies. The love making they shared was different, not to say Jaune didn't enjoy it. For lack of a better word, it was more gentle, and he could still walk once they were finished. Once he stepped back into the theater hall, he looked at the neon three. He was morbidly curious as to what would happen next. He looked at the exit, he didn't think his heart could take another one like that. But the brain in his pants over powered the one in his head as he booped the dog statue and went into theater three.

This time he was on a ship at sea.

"I've been waiting for you," Yang winked stepping into the captain's quarters.

This felt familiar, Yang did not waste anytime getting what she wanted. She threw Jaune on the bed and jumped on him. Yang was hot, in more ways then one. Heat was radiating off her like a sun. Her hair was glowing, her eyes were red, and he took in every curve of her voluptuous body. If she wasn't wasting any time, neither was he. She took the lead, he was sitting up, and she was on his lap. Every part of her was warm, his toes were curling the second he was inside her. Yang was wild, every moved she made was so full of passion and fire Jaune was screaming her name. Once again Jaune found himself limping back into the hallway with the biggest shit eating grin his face could manage.

"Who's next?" Jaune booped the dog, "Weiss or Blake?"

The next theater sign to light up was nineteen? That was a bit of a leap. But shrugging Jaune was in an apartment where Blake was sitting on the counter waiting for him.

"Sorry I'm late." Jaune had to think of an excuse, "I was rounding up all the gluten in the world so it can't not hurt us anymore."

"Kiss me like you miss me Jaune." Blake jumped in his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.

What could only be described as a movie montage. Jaune and Blake shared a wonderful three hours together. Until Blake had a strap-on and went exploring where the sun doesn't shine. He can't really say he got his revenge, but he was able to do the same to her. The Legends of the Bellabooty were true. As were the rumors of Blake secretly being a kinky sex fiend were also confirmed. After a long and experimental love session later, Jaune limped out of the theater. Only he'd prefer when he Yang and Pyrrha made him limp. Although, in the darker recesses of his mind, he had to admit that he wouldn't mind coming back again.

He looked at the next theater, seven. Now we're going back again? At this point Jaune really didn't care at the moment. He was on a ranch now?

"I tell you what woman," Mercury yelled, "Was a damn sight more peaceful 'round here before you came back!"

"It's walk or work old man!" Cinder yelled at him.

"I got lumbago." Mercury complained.

Cinder scoffed, "You'll have more then that in a minute!" She hit him with the broom.

"Jaune!" Mercury looked at him, "Tell her about my health!"

"Do what the lady says!" Jaune sighed.

"I worked my fingers to the bone building this place." Mercury grumbled, "Cinder Fall."

"Arc!" Cinder yelled, "Cinder Arc! Mrs. Arc to you!"

"Mrs. Arc to you!" Mercury mocked.

Jaune went chasing after Cinder.

"Why you let him stay?" Cinder asked.

Come on Jaune, you used to be in theater, play the part, "He's actually been pretty useful. In a useless sort of way."

"Who's that?" Cinder watched a wagon approach.

"No idea." Jaune watched the wagon come closer.

"Friend or foe?" Cinder asked.

"We'll soon find out." Jaune saw his gun on his hip. "It's the Getty's Boys."

"From Pronghorn Ranch?" Cinder asked.

"Yeah," Jaune nodded.

"Mr. Marston!" The young one yelled, "Mr. Marston!"

"Duncan!" Jaune knew his name for some reason.

"Sir!" The young one jumped off and shook his hand, "Ma found some old furniture in the attic. Pa thought maybe you folks would want it. As a housewarming present you know? They send their regards."

"How kind they are!" Cinder smiled, "Tell your ma and pa we're very touched!"

"Where would you like the furniture?" Duncan asked.

"Just over here," Jaune pointed to a spot in front of the house, "Then we can arrange. This is real kind of y'all."

"You saved the ranch." Duncan began unloading furniture, "Pa said this was the least he could do."

"That's everything." Duncan said when they were finished.

"Send your Pa my best regards." Jaune shook their hands, "Tell him he's got friends for life from me and my family."

"Bye sir," Duncan said as he departed, "Ma'am."

"I can't believe this…" Cinder gaped, "It's so kind."

"Sure." Jaune agreed, "But there's still some more things we need to get."

"How about we take a ride into town?" Cinder asked, "It's been ages since we spent any time together."

She didn't know the half of it, "It has. Let's get the wagon."

"I feel like we ain't done nothing like this since…since…"

"Since forever?"

"Maybe not forever but a long time."

"We ain't had the time you know? We've both been working…hard."

"Now we got something to show for it. The ranch, this life…it's so nice Jaune."

"I hope it'll only get nicer." Jaune got on the wagon and extended his hand, "May I help you my lady?"

Cinder giggled, "Oh Jaune."

Once they got into town Jaune took her to a portrait studio, then a movie. As the sun was setting, Jaune took her to a boat and they rowed to the middle of the lake. It would be more romantic if it was their boat…

"Cinder." A force took over Jaune's movements. "Will you marry me?"

"Get up." Cinder scoffed, "I am married to you."

"No." Jaune shook his head, "I mean proper. In front of God."

Cinder was stunned, "You serious?"

Jaune reached into his pocket, "I got this ring. I've had it for a long time. Take it." He slipped the ring on her finger.

"You serious?" Cinder gasped again.

"It would make me very happy." Jaune stuttered.

"We've lived a lot of lives." Cinder explained.

"Let's just live this one from now on." Jaune said, "You, me, and Ember. A family by law."

"Jaune I…" Cinder was speechless, "I never… I didn't know it mattered to you."

"It didn't." Jaune admitted, "But now it does. If you think this is dumb. I'm sorry."

"Shut up you silly man and kiss me." Cinder had him right then and there on their stolen boat. Jaune woke up in the theater hall. He smiled, that was the more romantic ones. He looked at the next one labeled: "Eight and Eleven."

He saw one theater after this one, "Almost over. I wonder what's gonna happen."

He stepped inside and saw two Weisses. As dense as he was, considering the day he was having, he could take a wild guess as to what was going to happen next.

"Jaune." Weiss was dressed in her usual outfit.

"My King." The second Weiss had a fur cloak around her body.

"Normally we would say the best is for last." Weiss explained.

"But we think you'll appreciate this one." Lady Weiss removed her cloak revealing her perfect petite body.

"There's not going to be a little scene like the others?" Jaune asked.

"Do you really care?" Weiss took off her jacket.

Once he saw two naked Weisses standing in front of him, all the blood left his brain and went directly into his crotch. He didn't say anything as they led him to the bed. They took turns with their handsome knight. Until one got the insidious idea for one to sit on his crotch and the other on his face. That didn't send him over the edge yet, but the image that he could see of them making out on top of him did.

Rather than stepping out alone, both Weisses escorted him to the final theater. Where Yang was missing an arm, but it was replaced by a haunting red aura.

"Took your sweet time didn't you master?" Yang smirked.

Still exhausted from his most recent adventure he looked up with a smile, "Normally that's a good thing isn't it?"

Yang revealed her fangs with a predatory grin, "We'll see how long that lasts. Grab the dog, you're gonna need it."

He grabbed the dog and walked in the theater. This time he was in a high class hotel. The penthouse took up the entire top floor of the hotel.

"Oh Jaune," a voice sing-songed.

Jaune looked around and realized he was still holding the dog statue. He walked into the room and dropped the dog. On the king sized bed each woman he was just with.

"The best for last?" Jaune asked with his nose leaking out every ounce of blood he had.

"You know it." Vampire Yang lifted him up and brought him to bed.

"Prepare for the best time of your life." This Pyrrha had a robotic arm from her shoulder down.

And she was right, it was the greatest moment of his entire life. He had no idea when he ended up back in his dorm room at Beacon.

"Aw man." Jaune whined, "I knew it was too good to be true."

He got up and was about to get dressed when he saw a note with a gift on his nightstand. He opened it and: "Happy New Year. Hope to see you again. ;)"

He opened the box and saw a various collection of panties. He knew just by looking at them which panties were who's. He slid them under his bed and wondered to himself. Can that work in the real world? No way to know unless he'd try…this new year was going to be so much fun.


	27. (I-V) Live Aid

" **Ow." Pyrrha dragged herself up.**

" **I'm never drinking again." Ruby gripped her head.**

" **Speak for yourself." Pyrrha grabbed another bottle and kept drinking, "Hangover, you are tomorrow's problem."**

 **Nora and Ren saw this and frowned.**

" **So…" Ruby asked, "How are you holding up?"**

" **I'm great." Pyrrha scoffed throwing the empty bottle behind her and reaching behind the bar grabbing a full bottle, "Yeah. We finally made it to Atlas and we have a** _ **meeting**_ **with Weiss' dad. Things are awesome."**

" **Really?" Ruby checked her scroll, "Because it's 6:30 in the morning and you've got a fully bottle of whiskey in your hand. Look Pyrrha." Ruby sighed, "It's okay to still be upset about what happened."**

" **Is that what everyone's saying?" Pyrrha glared daggers at Ren and Nora, "That I was upset or something?"**

" **No." Ruby shook her head, "I just know I am. And that it comes out of nowhere. When we first got here I saw someone with messy blonde hair eating at a noodle stand. Next thing you know, I'm crying, someone behind me is asking me what's wrong, and I punch him in the nuts because I'm clearly a master of my emotions. Turns out it was Uncle Qrow and I felt even worse. Come on, don't things like that happen to you?"**

 **Pyrrha gulped a significant amount before smacking her lips, "Yeah. I'm sad sometimes. Is that what you want to hear?"**

" **I don't wanna hear anything Pyrrha!" Ruby snapped, "I'm trying to help you! Nobody knows better than me how this feels."**

" **The night Beacon fell…" Pyrrha tightened her grip on the bottle, "He kissed me. Then he shoved me in that locker. I cried the entire time I was in there. I was angry. I was upset. When I went to bed that night, I wanted the whole world to disappear. Then I woke up the next morning…and I…I felt…"**

" **What?" Ruby asked finally talking to the real Pyrrha again, "What did you feel?"**

 **Pyrrha drank a bigger gulp this time. "I was relieved. My name was going down in flames for what I did to Penny. I wasn't going to have to worry about sponsors or fans harassing me. I finally had a chance at being normal. I…I hate myself."**

" **You don't think I felt the same? That I didn't have to worry about exposing her secret? Pyrrha." Ruby pulled her into her arms, "You have no reason to hate yourself."**

" **Of course I do." Pyrrha scoffed, "The love of my -our lives is dead! What kind of person is happy about something like this?"**

 **Ruby pulled her in tighter, "You're a good person Pyrrha. You're not a shitty person. Least not because of that."**

 **Pyrrha chuckled and returned the hug, "Thank you." Pyrrha rested her forehead against Ruby's, "What do we do now?"**

" **Ummm…" Nora raised her hand, "I have an idea."**

" **I'm scared." Pyrrha put the bottle down.**

 **Everyone chuckled before Nora resumed, "We worked out a set to play once the Festival was over. There's gonna be a fundraiser for Vale. I'm thinking a comeback piece by Mistral's Champion would raise enough to rebuild Beacon three times over."**

 **Pyrrha thought it over, "Okay. But not a comeback piece. I could care less about my name. No, a tribute piece for Jaune, and everyone else who lost their lives defending Beacon."**

" **I like that." Ruby nodded.**

" **Second." Ren agreed.**

" **We'll need a new bass player if I sing." Pyrrha said.**

" **I can do it." Ruby jumped.**

" **Well alright." Nora shrugged, "We got a show."**

… **..**

 **:The Next Day:**

… **..**

" **You want to perform at the concert hall?" Jaques Schnee asked Ruby, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren.**

" **That's correct." Ruby began, "I think we'd be a good opener for Weiss."**

" **An opener?" Jaques asked.**

" **Yeah." Nora shrugged, "I mean no body really cares about the opening act anyway. We'll just play while everybody is filling their seats."**

" **This is a non-profit concert." Jaques clarified, "It doesn't pay."**

" **We know." Pyrrha said, "We were at the Fall of Beacon. Even if it did pay we'd donate our check anyway."**

 **Jaques sighed, "Okay. If Weiss agrees, then you…"**

" **I want them to open." Weiss didn't wait for her father to finish. Even before he could object Weiss was already out of the room. Everyone else followed leaving Jaques alone in his study.**

" **Atlas was able to repair the CCT to an extent." Weiss explained, "We'll be broadcasting to Mistral and Vacuo and maybe some of the smaller villages but I doubt it."**

" **Weiss are you ok?" Ruby asked.**

" **I'm fine." Weiss smiled, "I have a feeling this'll all go our way."**

" **Okay?" Pyrrha followed unsure.**

…

 **:One Week Later:**

…

 **Ruby, Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha were each wearing Pumpkin Pete hoodies.**

" **Okay," Nora was shaking, her drumsticks cracking in her hand, "Everyone ready?"**

" **A little nervous." Ren adjusted his guitar.**

" **Better than Pyrrha." Ruby nudged her with her elbow.**

" **I can't do this." Pyrrha felt like throwing up her breakfast, "Jaune should be here."**

 **Ruby ran across the hoodie Pyrrha was wearing, Jaune's original hoodie, "He's always with us."**

 **Pyrrha looked down at Ruby's hand, "Enjoying the feel?"**

 **Ruby was confused until she looked at her hand resting on Pyrrha's breast. "Maybe I am. Just do exactly what he would and in a way, he will be with us."**

 **Pyrrha smiled, "Okay. I mean what's to be nervous about? It's only 170,000 people out there and the 1.5 billion people watching at home…"**

 **They stepped out on stage and were greeted with thunderous applause. Pyrrha nervously shuffled on stage, Nora waved and sat behind the drum set, Ren stiffly waved as he readied his guitar, and Ruby kept her eyes on Pyrrha. She couldn't watch the crowd, so she ran to the piano. She played a few keys before adjusting the sound, then went back to staring at piano…**

" **I'm back Yang." Taiyang entered the cabin, "What's going on today?"**

" **Atlas was able to repair the CCT." Yang pointed at the news on the T.V. "We still can't call anybody, but we've got Atlas channels again!"**

" **Sarcasm noted and ignored." Taiyang took the spot next to Yang, "So why are you watching it then?"**

" **Weiss is going to sing." Yang explained, "The SDC is raising money for Vale. I was gonna donate some."**

" **That's cool." Taiyang got some sodas for them, "I always wondered if she was as good as the critics say she is."**

" **RUBY?!" Yang screamed.**

 **Taiyang's drink went flying across the room. He shook his head, and sure enough, his youngest daughter was on stage in Atlas, "We are definitely recording this."**

" **What is she doing?!" Yang was still freaking out, "How did she get all the way to Atlas?! Is she opening for Weiss?! What the actual fuck?!"**

" **Language young lady!" Taiyang scolded.**

" **Uhhhh…Blake?" Sun called from the living room in Menagerie, "You better come see this!"**

" **What is it Sun?" Blake was in the other room, "I don't have time for…"**

" **Ruby is on the T.V!" Sun yelled.**

 **Blake burst in the room and fell over herself. She looked up and saw her leader standing on stage. "What is she doing?!"**

" **Apparently raising money for Vale." Sun explained, "She has to do something since her team was ripped apart."**

 **Blake looked back at him with a glare, but he had a glare of his own waiting for her, she shrunk under his and sat next to him.**

 **Weiss led eight people behind the stage. She brought them right to the edge of the curtain, so they could see the band play.**

 **Ruby walked over and put her hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. Pyrrha stared into those silver orbs and nodded. Ruby, Ren, and Nora gasped at Pyrrha and the song she chose to play.**

 _ **Momma,**_ **Pyrrha sang,** _ **Just killed a man.**_

 _ **Put a gun against his head,**_ **the audience began to sing along.**

 _ **Pulled my trigger now he's dead**_

 _ **Momma, life had just begun…**_ **Pyrrha began tearing up.**

 _ **But now I've gone and thrown it all away.**_

 _ **MOMMA! Ooh~ooh, didn't mean to make you cry.**_

 _ **If I'm not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on.**_

 _ **As if nothing really matters…**_

 _ **Too late, my time has come**_

 _ **Sent shivers down my spine**_

 _ **Body's aching all the time**_

 _ **Goodbye everybody, I've got to go**_

 _ **Got to leave you all behind and face the truth**_

 _ **MOMMA! Ooh~ohh, I don't wanna die**_

 _ **I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all!**_

 **Ren broke into a guitar solo. Pyrrha kept playing despite the tears consuming her face. She looked up and saw eight different blonde women standing and one blonde man back stage. It didn't take a brain surgeon to figure out who they were. The man was so similar, it was almost like an older clone was standing there. She looked behind them and saw Weiss with fresh tears down her cheeks. As if new life rushed into her, Pyrrha extended her arm and a stage-hand gave her half a microphone stand. She took it and began dancing across the stage, while the rest of them were changing songs. Pyrrha stood center stage and waved at the cheering audience.**

 _ **I sit alone and watch your light**_

 _ **My only friend through teenage nights**_

 _ **And everything I had to know**_

 _ **I heard it on my radio**_

 _ **You gave them all those old-time stars**_

 _ **Through war of wolds invaded by Mars**_

 _ **You made them laugh, you made them cry**_

 _ **You made us feel like we could fly.**_

 _ **So don't become some background noise**_

 _ **A backdrop for the girls and boys**_

 _ **Who just don't know or just don't care**_

 _ **And just complain when you're not there**_

 _ **You had the time!**_ **Ruby, Ren, and Nora sang along.**

 _ **You had the power!**_

 _ **You've yet to have your finest hour!**_

 _ **Radio.**_ **"Everybody!" Pyrrha yelled at the audience.**

 _ **All we hear is**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Goo Goo**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **All we hear is**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Blah Blah**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio, what's new?**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio, someone still loves you!**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 **Pyrrha looked up to the sky and blew a kiss at the clouds. She wiped away her tears and began dancing on stage again. She tried to match Jaune's eccentric movements as best she could before the second verse.**

 _ **We watch the shows, we watch the stars**_

 _ **On videos for hours and hours**_

 _ **We hardly need to use our ears**_

 _ **Our music changes through the years**_

 _ **Let's hope you never leave old friend**_

 _ **Like all good things on you we depend**_

 _ **So stick around 'cause we might miss you**_

 _ **When we grow tired of all this visual**_

 _ **You had the time, you had the power**_

 _ **You've yet to have your finest hour**_

 _ **Radio**_

 _ **All we hear is**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 **Pyrrha looked back and couldn't help but smile at Jaune's family clapping along. Weiss had her hands above her head as she clapped along too. Kali and Ghira joined Sun and Blake clapping in their living room. Taiyang and Yang were jumping around their living room trying to dance like Pyrrha.**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Goo Goo**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **All we hear is**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Goo Goo**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **All we hear is**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Ga Ga**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio Blah Blah**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio, what's new?**_ **(CLAP CLAP)**

 _ **Radio…someone…still…looooves…yoooooooou!**_

 _ **LOOOOOOOOOVES!**_ **Pyrrha pointed at the sky,** _ **Yoooooooou!**_

 **Pyrrha sat down and did a little pose with the microphone before standing back up. Her chest was heaving she stared at the crowd. She walked to the front of the stage.**

 _ **Ay~oh!**_ **The audience sang it back to her,** _ **Ay~oh!**_

 _ **Ay~oh! (Ay~oh!)**_

 _ **Ay~Ay~Ay~Ay~Ay~Ay~Oh! (Ay~Ay~Ay~Ay~Ay~Ay~Oh!)**_

 _ **Ay~oh! (Ay~oh!)**_

 _ **Ay~oh! (Ay~oh!)**_

 _ **Ay~oh! (Ay~oh!)**_

 _ **AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY~OH!**_

" **Goddamn Pyrrha!" Blake had to cover her ears.**

" **She's got some lungs!" Yang cheered.**

" **Wow…" Weiss gaped at the sight.**

 _ **(AYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY~OH!)**_

 _ **Ay~oh! (Ay~oh!)**_

 _ **Ay~oh! (Ay~oh!)**_

 _ **De~da~di~da~di~de~do! (De~da~di~da~di~de~do!)**_

 _ **De~do! (De~Do!)**_

 _ **De~do! (De~do!)**_

 _ **ALRIGHT! (ALRIGHT!)**_

" **Hey! Hey! Hey! Hammer to Fall!" Pyrrha announced.**

 _ **Here we stand or here we fall**_

 _ **History won't care at all**_

 _ **Make the bed, light the light**_

 _ **Lady Mercy won't be home tonight**_

 _ **You don't waste no time at all**_

 _ **Don't hear the bell but you answer the call**_

 _ **It comes to you as to us all**_

 _ **We're just waiting for the hammer to fall**_

 _ **Oh, every night and every day**_

 _ **A little piece of you is falling away**_

 _ **But you lift your face the Western Way**_

 _ **Build your muscles as your body decays**_

 _ **Tow the line and play their game**_

 _ **Let the anesthetic cover it all**_

' _ **Till one day they call your name**_

 _ **You know it's time for the hammer to fall**_

 _ **Rich or poor or famous for**_

 _ **Your truth it's all the same**_

 _ **Lock your door but rain is pouring**_

 _ **Through your window pane**_

 _ **Baby, now your struggle's in vain**_

 _ **For he who grew up stand tall and proud**_

 _ **In the shadow of the mushroom cloud**_

 _ **Convinced our voices can't be heard**_

 _ **We just wanna scream it louder and louder and louder**_

 _ **What the hell are we fighting for?**_

 _ **Just surrender and it won't hurt at all**_

 _ **You just got time to say your prayers**_

 _ **While you're waiting for the hammer to-hammer to fall**_

 _ **Hey! Yes!**_

 _ **It's going to fall! Yeah!**_

 _ **Hammer!**_

 _ **You know!**_

 _ **Yeah!**_

 _ **Hammer to fall!**_

 _ **Hammer!**_

 _ **Yeah!**_

 _ **Waiting for the hammer to fall baby!**_

 _ **While you're waiting for the hammer to fall.**_

 _ **Give it to me one more time!**_

 **The stage-hand gave Pyrrha a guitar. She gave it a few practice strums before nodding. She took a drink from the cups on the piano before standing in front of the microphone.**

" **This next song is only dedicated to beautiful people here tonight." Pyrrha chuckled, "That means all of you, thank you for coming along and making this a great occasion."**

 _ **This thing called love, I just can't handle it**_

 _ **This thing called love, I must get round to it**_

 _ **I ain't ready**_

 _ **This thing (this thing)**_

 _ **Called love (called love)**_

 _ **It cries (like a baby)**_

 _ **In a cradle all night**_

 _ **It swings (woo woo)**_

 _ **It jives (woo woo)**_

 _ **It shakes all over like a jelly fish**_

 _ **I kinda like it**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love**_

 _ **There goes my baby**_

 _ **She knows how to rock 'n' roll**_

 _ **She drives me crazy**_

 _ **She gives me hot and cold fever**_

 _ **Then she leaves me in a cool cool sweat**_

 _ **I gotta be cool, relax, get hip**_

 _ **And get on my track's**_

 _ **Take a back seat, hitch-hike**_

 _ **And take a long ride on my motorbike**_

 _ **Until im ready**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love**_

 _ **I gotta be cool, relax, get hip**_

 _ **And get on my track's**_

 _ **Take a back seat (ah hum), hitch hike (ah hum)**_

 _ **And take a long ride on my motorbike**_

 _ **Until I'm ready (ready Freddie)**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love**_

 _ **This thing called love, I just can't handle it**_

 _ **This thing called love, I must get round to it**_

 _ **I ain't ready**_

 _ **Ooh ooh ooh ooh**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 _ **Crazy little thing called love, yeah, yeah!**_

 **Pyrrha was working up a sweat, she held the guitar over her shoulder and walked it back to the stage hand. Nora took over for a bit and began a familiar drum solo. Pyrrha started dancing to the beat while the audience clapped along. She grabbed her microphone and kept going.**

 _ **Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise**_

 _ **Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday**_

 _ **You got mud on your face, you big disgrace**_

 _ **Kicking your can all over the place!**_ **"SING IT!"**

 **The audience complied without hesitation,** _ **We will, we will, rock you!**_

" **YEEEEAH! DO IT!"**

 _ **We will, we will, rock you!**_

" **I LIKE IT! SING IT AGAIN!"**

 _ **We will, we will, rock you!**_

" **ONE MORE TIME!"**

 _ **We will, we will, rock you!**_

 **Ren stepped in with a solo while Pyrrha caught her breath. She waved at the crowd once the song was over. She took another glance at the Arc family and saw them applauding. She returned to the piano for their final song. She sniffled, took a deep breath, and began the piano intro.**

 _ **I've paid my dues**_

 _ **Time after time**_

 _ **Ive done my sentence**_

 _ **But committed no crime**_

 _ **And bad mistakes**_

 _ **I've made a few**_

 _ **I've had my share of sand kicked in my face**_

 _ **But I've come through!**_

 **Nora had a mini solo and the audience cheered and sang along with Pyrrha.**

 _ **We are the champions, my friends**_

 _ **And we'll keep on fighting 'till the end**_

 _ **We are the champions**_

 _ **We are the champions**_

 _ **No time for losers**_

' _ **Cause we are the champions of the world**_

 _ **I've taken my bows**_

 _ **And my curtain calls**_

 _ **You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it**_

 _ **I thank you all**_

 _ **But it's been no bed of roses**_

 _ **No pleasure cruise**_

 _ **I consider it a challenge before the whole human race**_

 _ **And I ain't gonna lose!**_

 **Pyrrha grabbed the microphone again and jumped to her feet. She watched the crowd sway from side-to-side and smiled.**

 _ **We are the champions, my friends**_

 _ **And we'll keep on fighting 'till the end**_

 _ **We are the champions**_

 _ **We are the champions**_

 _ **No time for losers**_

' _ **Cause we are the champions of the world**_

 _ **We are the champions, my friends**_

 _ **And we'll keep on fighting 'till the end**_

 _ **We are the champions**_

 _ **We are the champions**_

 _ **No time for losers**_

' _ **Cause we are the champions of the wooooooooorld!**_

 **Ruby, Ren, and Nora joined Pyrrha center stage as the audience screamed. They took one final bow and exited the stage. All of them were shaking once they returned to their dressing room.**

" **Holy shit!" Ruby had to sit down.**

" **That was fucking awesome!" Nora cheered.**

" **Nora!" Ren tried to scold but he couldn't help but agree.**

" **I don't even wanna try to follow that!" Weiss entered, "I mean way to set the fucking bar guys!"**

" **I can't tell if that's an insult or not." Ruby shook her head.**

" **Can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that Weiss just swore?" Nora asked.**

 **There was a knock at the door, "Do you have a moment?" Jaques asked.**

" **What is it father?" Weiss straightened her back and resumed her regal appearance.**

" **I just wanted to let you guys know the numbers." Jaques was holding a piece of paper in his hand, "In the twenty minutes you were on stage…" he was struggling to get the words out, which surprised Weiss more than ANYTHING in her whole life, "You guys made over 1.2 million dollars for the relief effort."**

" **No way…" Ruby gasped.**

" **Wow." Weiss looked back at them, "Now I really need to do something awesome. Thanks guys." Weiss walked out with her father.**

" **Again." Nora sighed, "Was that a compliment or not?"**

" **Um…" there was a timid knock at the door.**

" **It's open!" Ruby yelled as a young woman with wavy dirty blonde hair and blue eyes stepped in. She was wearing a Pumpkin Pete hoodie as well.**

" **Thank you." She began tearing up, "I think…no, I know he would have loved the show."**

 **Pyrrha smiled, "We did our best."**

" **And that's all that we can do." She smiled before departing.**

"That sure felt like longer than twenty minutes." Weiss said as the screen faded to black.

"That was fucking awesome JNPR!" Yang cheered.

"J-Jaune was dead?" Nora sniffed, "I mean it's great we did that for him, and the money we raised…but…"

"It's okay Nora." Ren pulled her into his arms.

"I think it was perfect." Pyrrha wiped her tears, "I think they finally accepted it. They're not going to let him go, and they're going to keep on keeping on as if he was still there."

"Question." Ruby popped up, "Were we a thing?"

"That should have been obvious." Pyrrha playfully scoffed.

…

 **So, I've had my fun. The next chapter will be a real reaction.**

 **Don't forget the Genital WarThunder P/a/treon!**

 **We'll see y'all next time!**


	28. (XVII) The Inner Circle

**The following preview has been approved for appropriate audiences.**

"Previews again?" Ruby asked.

"So, I thought since I set everything up like a movie theater." Mr. WarThunder explained, "I would show the trailers at the beginning of the movie. Like a normal movie theater would."

"I guess that makes sense." Ruby shrugged enjoying her never ending bucket of cookies.

"Good then prepare for five trailers." Mr. WarThunder snapped his fingers and vanished.

"Wait what?!" Weiss exclaimed.

"That's how many there usually are Weiss." Yang tried to calm the heiress.

" **Coming up on the drop zone Cap." The pilot announced as he flew under the cover of darkness.**

" **You doing anything fun Saturday night?" Emerald asked.**

" **Well all the guys in my barbershop quartet are dead." Jaune said slipping in his ear piece, "So, no not really."**

" **You know if you asked Kristin out from statistics she'd probably say: 'yes'." Emerald smirked.**

" **That's why I don't ask." Jaune walked to the edge of the cargo bay door opening.**

" **Too shy?" Emerald's smirk grew, "Or too scared?"**

" **Too busy!" Jaune yelled jumping out the plane.**

" **Was he wearing a parachute?" A solider asked.**

" **Nope." Crossbones shook his head, "No he wasn't."**

"Whoa I wanna go skydiving!" Ruby cheered.

"Me too!" Yang agreed.

"Except maybe we USE parachutes?" Weiss said.

"Where's the fun in that Weiss?" Yang asked.

" **I joined S.H.E.I.L.D. To protect people." Jaune was talking to an old man.**

" **Captain." An old man said, "To build a better world. Sometimes means tearing down the old one. That makes enemies."**

 **Junior stepped off his private helicopter.**

" **Are you ready?" The old man asked, "For the world to see you as you really are? Look out the window, you know how the game works."**

 **Jaune was with Junior in an elevator looking over the massive stockpile of military weapons. Junior was shaking hands with the old man who was talking.**

" **Disorder." He spoke over a woman shooting up a highway, "War. All it takes is one step."**

 **Jaune and Emerald were watching Junior in the intensive care unit.**

" **We're going to neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen." Junior spoke as the Hellicarrier M. firing up and loading jets on it.**

" **Thought the punishment usually came after the crime." Jaune voiced over a strike team attacking a car on the highway.**

" **S.H.E.I.L.D. Takes the world as it is." The doors above the hellicarriers opened, "Not as we like it to be."**

" **This isn't freedom." He pointed at the hellicarriers, "This is fear."**

" **You need to keep both eyes open." Junior said as Jaune was surrounded by men in the elevator.**

" **Before we get started." Jaune looked at each of them, "Does anybody wanna get out?"**

 **The man in front of Jaune turned around with a taser, while the men behind him tried to restrain him. There were a lot of jumpcuts of Jaune beating them down before kicking his shield into his waiting arm.**

"Damn son." Cardin was impressed, "This Jaune's a badass."

"He's always been a badass." Nora crossed her arms in a huff.

Pyrrha was too busy drooling at the sight.

" **You're work as been a gift to mankind." Jaune was walking through a museum section about him. While he had a flashback to W. . "You shaped the century. I need you to do it one more time."**

 **Jaune was covered in dust as he lifted Emerald out of a hole in the ground. The old man was smiling viciously at the camera. A woman with a metal arm took a rifle from a hired hand.**

"Another one with a missing limb…" Yang's eyes turned red.

"Twenty lien says it's you because you keep complaining." Ruby smirked.

 **Junior watched as the woman launched a circular disk at him. The disk spun on the ground before attaching itself to the undercarriage of his suv and launched him into the air.**

" **Gear up." Jaune told Nora as they stood on the edge of a dam, "It's time."**

 **Nora jumped off the edge of the hellicarrier, as she was falling she sprouted wings, and began to fly away from a jet chasing her.**

 **Jaune was engaged in CQC with the metal armed woman. He was on a bike narrowly avoiding blast doors. Emerald kicked herself off a guy, as she was falling, she pulled to pistols and shot the men below her. Jaune was charging a jet on his bike while avoiding bullets. A massive explosion revealed one of the hellicarriers falling out of the sky.**

 **Captain Vale:**

… **The Winter Solider…**

* * *

 **Jaune jumped out of a window, rolled onto the next building, and threw h** **is shield. The metal armed woman turned around and caught the shield.**

"It's like ultimate frisbee!" Cardin declared.

"Oh, that's not going to blow up in his face." Ruby sighed.

"What is?" Ironwood asked.

"Punish people before they commit the crime?" Ruby asked, "May as well arrest everyone on the planet then!"

"And wait until people get hurt or killed?" Ironwood asked.

" **Imagine." A bald man stepped into a vault, "A solider. The size of an insect."**

 **A solider was being thrown around by a force unseen.**

" **The ultimate secret weapon."**

" **If you give god-like powers to everyone." An older man spoke over a building exploding, "It's gonna be chaos."**

" **So how do we stop him?" a woman asked.**

" **I know a guy…" the older man said.**

" **Roman." He was standing in prison and was struck by another inmate, "I've been watching you for a while. You're different, I believe everyone deserves a shot at redemption. Do you?"**

 **The old man led him to a lab under his house.**

" **Absolutely." Roman nodded, "My days of breaking into places and stealing stuff are over." A little clip shows of Roman breaking into houses played, "What do you need me to do?"**

" **I need you to break into a place and steal some stuff." The old man said.**

" **Makes sense…" Roman nodded.**

"A movie all about me?" Roman perked up, "I can't wait!"

Neo nodded with a smile.

" **Are you ready?" the old man opened a safe revealing a red suit, "To become the hero?"**

" **The suit has power." The woman from before explained, "You have to learn how to control it."**

 **Roman watched four ants lift a penny and spin it around. He stood in his bathtub, and pressed the button shrinking him down to the size of an ant.**

" **These are your greatest allies."**

" **You're kinda cute!" Roman knelt to a baby ant, "Whoa…" he saw a solider ant behind it.**

" **When you're small you have super human strength." She explained as Roman shrunk, then regrew to throw a man through a glass wall. He shrunk again and jumped on the barrel of a gun, ran across the slide, jumped on the man's shoulder and knocked him out. "So, you need to learn how to punch."**

" **You gonna show me how to punch?" Roman held up his hand, "Show me how to punch."**

 **The woman decked him square in the jaw, "That's how you punch."**

 **Roman shrunk and jumped down a vault.**

" **You tried to hide your suit from me." The bald man said, "Now it's gonna blow up in your face. And destroy everyone you care about." He was in a suit just like Roman's only Yellow.**

 **HEROES**

 **Yellowjacket stood above Roman and made the helicopter explode.**

" **Roman get out of there!" the woman yelled.**

 **DON'T GET ANY BIGGER**

" **Did you think you could stop the future?!" Yellowjacket asked as he shrunk down to fight Roman, "You're just a thief!"**

" **No." Roman was surfing on a raft of ants, "I'm Ant Man."**

 **Yellowjacket stared at him.**

" **I know." Roman nodded, "I didn't pick the name."**

 **Roman shrunk down to avoid Yellowjacket's blasts as he flew up to attack.**

 **Ant-Man**

 **Yellowjacket was stuck in the rails and began screaming as the train was coming right at him. The camera zoomed out and the toy Thomas the Tank Engine fell off the tracks.**

"Whose room was that?" Roman asked.

"Do you have a kid?" Ruby asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." Roman hesitated.

* * *

" **Some believe that before the universe there was nothing." A man stepped into a warehouse and poked a truck making it float in the air, "They're wrong. There was darkness…"**

 **Inside a spaceship. A figure was bound to the very ship itself. The ship crashed into a museum, "And it has survived."**

 **Raven landed in full armor.**

" **I gave you my word." John was watching her land right in front of him, "I would return."**

" **What's going to happen?" John asked.**

" **Hold on." She pulled him close.**

" **John!" a woman called out for him. But the Bifrost consumed both of them and they were taken to Asgard.**

" **We're from different worlds." John said as two grand ornate doors opened. Raven smiled at him while Lord Siff glared at her, "Maybe they were separate for a reason."**

 **A black ship was in the skies of Asgard, it crashed through numerous place pillars. A forest on fire with soldiers running through it. Lord Siff was in the middle of a battlefield when the Bifrost brought Raven to his side. Raven jumped up, drove her sword into the ground, and killed all who surrounded her.**

" **Ask yourself…what will you sacrifice for what you believe?"**

 **The Dark Elf held John in the air with his magic.**

 **Raven fell to her knees, "NO!"**

 **The Dark World**

" **You must be truly desperate to come to me for help." Qrow mocked from his cell.**

" **The moment you betray me." Raven warned, "I will kill you."**

" **When do we start?" Qrow asked.**

"Who was that?" Taiyang and Yang stared at Raven.

"How should I know?" Raven threw her arms up.

* * *

 **Ruby's armor was totaled as she lay in the snow. She tore her helmet off revealing her bloodied and beaten face.**

" **I've got a lot of apologies to make." Ruby said, "Nothing's been the same since Vale. You experience things and then they're over." Ruby was testing a new suit then was looking at the parts scattered across the floor. "I can't sleep and when I do, I have nightmares. Honestly there's about one-hundred people who want to kill me. I hope I can protect the one thing I can't live without." She told Weiss.**

 **They were in bed together when Ruby's suit attacked Weiss. Her display of suits began exploding.**

" **Ladies." A man spoke, "Children. Sheep. Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson number one: "Heroes? There's no such thing."**

 **Three helicopters with missiles opened and fired at Ruby's house. Ruby was caught in the debris and was dragged into the water. Then the rest of her house fell on top of her.**

 **Iron Rose 3**

"RUBY!" Taiyang, Summer, Yang, and Qrow screamed at the sight.

"Guys!" Ruby yelled, "Guys! I'm right here!"

"That was too real." Yang held her sister close, "Too close for comfort."

* * *

" **I'm going to show you something beautiful." A mechanical voice said over looking a city, "Everyone screaming. For mercy…" a metal hand was bathed in lava, "You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change." One of Ruby's suits looked as if it was patched together dragged itself forward, "You're all puppets." The Inner Circle watched it move, "You're tangled in strings. Strings." It held half of one of Ruby's suits by the head and crushed it.**

 **Jaune kicked down a door in an ancient castle. While ruby looked over the ledge. Soldiers and police were firing in the streets. A tank was driving through the forest firing at Oscar. A giant robot looked back at Blake and Whitley both with cat ears.**

Weiss and Winter spit out her drink and started laughing. Blake and Adam knew Whitley from the news. Last time they checked though he was a human…

 **Miniature versions of the robot dragged themselves out of the water and up the cliffside. Raven dropped her sword at the sight of them all.**

" **It's the end…" Ruby said, "The end to the path I started us on."**

" **Nothing lasts forever." Emerald said.**

 **Blake was kneeling in a deserted courtyard screaming.**

 **A GIANT red foot slammed down. Ozpin looked back and saw a colossal suit of armor encasing Ruby. Emerald was on a bike that was dropped out of a jet. Whitley was running at incredible speeds, while Blake had magic? Raven was screaming in a lake. Emerald held her hand out to Ozpin. Ballerinas were practicing their forms. Cinder was running through a forest under fire. Raven picked up Ruby by her throat and held her in the air. Ozpin threw a car at Ruby, but she caught it, and Ozpin punched right through it.**

" **Now…I'm…free…"**

 **Ruby held her fist and met Ozpin's. Jaune's shield was broken in half.**

" **There are no strings on me…"**

 **Age of Ultron**

"Killer robots?" Ironwood shuddered, "That's concerning."

"Why was he singing Pinocchio?" Yang asked.

* * *

" **The Tesseract has awakened," A seer spoke to a figure shrouded in darkness, "It is on a fragile world. They would wield its power, but our ally knows its workings as they never will. He is ready to lead and our force, our Chitauri, will follow. A world will be his. The universe, yours. And the people, what can they do but burn?"**

"Aliens?" Weiss scoffed, "Seriously?"

"You don't believe Weiss?" Ruby asked.

"Oh please don't tell me that you do." Weiss groaned.

"Think about it." Ruby explained much to Weiss' dismay, "The trillions of stars out there, each with their own solar system, can you honestly tell me that WE'RE the only life out there?"

Weiss sharply exhaled, "Then why haven't they visited us?"

"Probably because they don't want to?" Yang shrugged, "They probably pass over us and say: "Come on let's land and fuck with them. SHUT THE FUCK UP! They fight over black, white, and faunus. We're purple with six arms, what the fuck you think they're gonna do to us?!"

"Been rehearsing that one have we?" Blake asked.

"But it was funny wasn't it?" Yang asked.

"For once." Nora sighed.

 **The scene changed to a compound at night, with a radar-dish field behind it. A helicopter flew over the cliff and landed on said compound. While all around alarms were blaring, cars and people were scrambling all around.**

" **All personnel," the adjutant announced, "The evacuation order has been confirmed."**

 **The adjutant was drowned out while soldiers were yelling at the staff to move faster. Winter was waiting at the helicopter landing zone. The doors opened and out stepped the Malachite Twins and Junior Xiong stepped out. This Junior however had an eyepatch.**

" **How bad is it?" Junior asked Neptune.**

" **That's the problem sir," Neptune took off her sunglasses, "We don't know." The four of them took an elevator down to the lower levels. "Dr. Merlot read an energy surge from The Tesseract four hours ago."**

" **NASA didn't authorize Merlot to go to test phase," Junior commented as they walked.**

"There's a name I haven't heard in years." Ozpin drank from his soda cup.

"Indeed." Oobleck agreed, "Not the most colorful exits either if I may add. I can only hope this is going to be better than our own."

" **He wasn't testing it," Neptune explained, "He wasn't even in the room. Spontaneous event."**

" **It just turned itself on?" Miltia asked.**

" **What are the energy readings now?" Melanie asked.**

" **Climbing," Neptune nodded, "When Merlot couldn't shut it down, we ordered the evac."**

" **How long until we get out?" Junior asked.**

" **Campus should be clear in the next half-hour," Neptune guessed.**

" **Do better," Junior ordered.**

 **Neptune nodded the departed.**

"This seems like your kind of roll James." Glynda looked at the general, "Not some criminal."

Ironwood hummed, "I don't know. It seems military, but it doesn't feel like it…"

" **Sir," Miltia voiced her concerns, "Evacuation may be futile."**

" **We should tell them to go back to sleep?" Junior asked.**

" **If we can't control The Tesseract's energy, there may not be a minimum safe distance," Melanie voiced hers.**

" **I need you two to make sure the Phase Two Prototypes are shipped out," Junior ordered.**

" **Sir," Melanie gasped, "Is that really a priority right now?"**

" **Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on," Junior stopped them, "Clear out the tech below. Every piece of Phase Two on a truck and gone."**

"What's Phase 2?" Ruby asked, she felt a strange sense of dejavu at the moment.

"Something that clearly takes priority over evacuating civilians." Weiss glared at the screen.

"Hmmm." Ironwood examined what was happening on the screen, "Something worth killing for, it's not going to be worth it. I guarantee you that it'll be something ridiculous."

"Movie chliche?" Glynda asked.

"That." Ironwood admitted, "And personal experience, nothing is worth the lives of your men…nothing…"

" **Yes sir," they answered simultaneously and walked past him.**

" **Talk to me doctor!" Junior stepped into a room with Dr. Merlot standing in front of a circular device with a blue cube in the center. "Is there anything we know for certain?"**

" **The Tesseract is misbehaving," Merlot explained while a lab assistant poked the cube with a metal pin, causing a small explosion.**

" **Is that supposed to be funny?" Junior glared.**

" **No," Merlot shook his head, "It's not funny at all. The Tesseract is not only active, she's behaving."**

" **I assume you pulled the plug," Junior stated.**

" **She's an energy source," Merlot shook his head, "We turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level- "**

" **We prepared for this doctor," Junior cut him off, "Harnessing energy from space."**

"Energy from space now?" Weiss rolled her eyes, "Oh boy."

"The planet is only temporary Weiss." Blake said, "Eventually we'll need to look for other means of energy. The dust will run out at some point."

"I understand." Weiss nodded, "I just wish it didn't sound so science fictiony."

 **Merlot shook his head, "But we don't have a harness. My calculations are far from complete. And she's throwing off interference, radiation. Nothing harmful, low levels of gamma radiation."**

" **That can be harmful," Junior looked at The Tesseract, "Where's agent Fall?"**

" **The Hawk?" Merlot scoffed, "Up in her nest as usual."**

"Interesting name." Cinder perked up now she was in the picture.

 **Up in the rafters was Cinder. She secured herself and was watching everything.**

" **Agent Fall," Junior called over her radio, "Report. I gave you this detail so you can keep a close eye on things."**

" **I see better from a distance," Cinder explained.**

" **Have you seen anything that might set this thing off?" Junior asked.**

" **Doctor it's spiking again," an assistant spoke up.**

" **No one's come or gone," Cinder shrugged, "Merlot's clean. No contacts, no IMs. If there was any tampering, sir, it wasn't on this end."**

" **At this end?" Junior repeated.**

" **Yeah," Cinder nodded, "The Cube is a doorway to the other end of space, right? Doors open on both sides."**

"That's not ominous at all." Cinder leaned back.

"Aliens already?" Mercury asked, "I figured they'd be saved for the third act."

"Maybe it's their leader." Emerald suggested before grinning dumbly, "Take me to your leader!"

Mercury almost chocked on his popcorn.

Salem perked an eyebrow.

 **The Tesseract exploded with energy shaking the whole building. Junior and Cinder jumped back. Winter secured herself on a nearby pillar. The Malachite Twins looked back at the building from the parking garage. Energy began to gather around the cube. Suddenly a beam shot out from the Tesseract and began building an orb. The orb began to expand, it kept expanding until it was as big as the wall, when just as suddenly as it formed, it exploded. Most of the energy began to take form. While the remaining energy expelled began to gather on the roof. Four soldiers began walking toward the figure forming. Rising from his knees was Qrow, with a twisted smile on his face.**

"It's Uncle Qrow!" Ruby cheered.

"Uh Ruby?" Yang hesitated when she saw the look on his face.

"Oh, this is going to go SO bad." Nora whispered.

" **Sir!" Junior was the first to speak, "Please put down the spear!"**

 **Qrow looked at the spear in his hand. Pointed it in a random direction and fired. Cinder tackled Junior out of the way. The soldiers began firing at Qrow, but the bullets simply bounced off him. He jumped into the air and landed on one solider stabbing him in the chest. He turned around the threw two daggers into the others. Luckily some of the assistants were agents, they drew their guns and began firing at Qrow. He fired his spear vaporizing one, causing an explosion that knocked out the rest. He threw another into a wall and looked at his handiwork. Cinder tried to draw her gun, but Qrow grabbed her wrist.**

" **You have heart," he pressed the spear between her breasts. Cinder's eyes glossed over with a blue light. She holstered her gun and stared at Qrow.**

"I want that spear." Cinder drooled at the sight.

 _Better not be getting any ideas_ Salem thought to herself.

"You're the bad guy?" Raven looked at her brother, "This'll be good."

"That means you're the good guy." Qrow smirked.

Raven shrugged, "This'll be interesting."

 **Junior watched in horror, he grabbed The Tesseract and put it in a special briefcase. Then he got up and started to run while Qrow was busy turning another guard that was just beginning to wake up.**

" **Please don't," Qrow's voice made Junior stop, "I still need that."**

" **This doesn't have to get any messier," Junior tried to reason.**

" **Of course, it does," Qrow scoffed, "I've come too far for anything else. I am Qrow of Asgard, and I am burdened with great purpose."**

" **Qrow," Merlot stared, "Brother of Raven."**

" **We have no quarrel with your people," Junior raised his hand.**

" **An ant has no quarrel with a boot," Qrow smirked.**

" **Are you planning to step on us?" Junior asked with an edge.**

"This version of you has a bit of an inflated head." Raven chuckled.

"Compensating for something?" Glynda asked with a smirk.

"Oh catty." Raven was surprised.

"I hate the both of you." Qrow groaned.

" **I come with glad tidings," Qrow smiled, "Of a world made free."**

" **Free from what?" Junior tilted his head.**

" **Freedom," Qrow answered, "Freedom is life's great lie. Once you accept that, in your heart." Qrow turned to Merlot and turned him. "You will know peace."**

"He is oddly charismatic." Ozpin said, "His wording is a few time periods behind though."

"Current for us no?" Salem rolled her eyes. Ozpin snorted.

" **Yeah, you say: "Peace," Junior shook his head, "I'm starting to think you mean the other thing."**

" **Sir," Cinder spoke to Qrow, "Director Xiong is stalling. This place is about to blow and drop one-hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us."**

" **Like the pharaohs of old," Junior nodded.**

" **He's right," Merlot looked at his screen, "The portal is closing in on itself. We've got about two minutes before it goes critical."**

" **Well then," Qrow looked at Cinder.**

 **She raised her gun and shot Junior in the chest. Junior fell, dropping the briefcase. Cinder picked it up and she joined Qrow as the exited the room.**

" **I need these vehicles," Cinder pointed to a pickup that they began to pile into.**

" **Who's that?" Melanie asked pointing to Qrow.**

" **They didn't tell me," Cinder shrugged keeping her eyes hidden.**

" **MALACHITE!" Junior yelled over the radio, "Do you copy?! Fall has turned!"**

 **Before they could react, Cinder turned around and began shooting. They rolled behind cover while Cinder quickly jumped into the driver's seat. The twins shot at the truck, but being a S.H.I.E.L.D. Truck, it was bulletproof.**

" **They have The Tesseract." Junior radioed, "SHUT THEM DOWN!"**

 **The twins jumped in car without doors and began chasing. The remaining soldiers began chasing after and shooting at Qrow. He simply raised his spear and blew up a car he fired at. The remains drove on a nearby ramp and flipped over blocking another. Junior was running as fast as he could as the energies grew more unstable. The whole structure was shaking. Four men rolling a cart dropped everything they were carrying.**

" **Let's go!" Neptune ordered, "No, leave it. GO!"**

 **The twins pulled out in front of Cinder. They pulled the emergency brake and turned to face them. They were bumper to bumper while the twins and Cinder exchanged bullets.**

" **We're clear upstairs sir," Neptune radioed to Junior running to his helicopter, "You need to get out of there."**

 **The helicopter took off as Junior jumped in. Cinder stomped on the gas pedal forcing the twins out of her way. Enough time had passed, the energies finally exploded reducing the entire compound AND radar field to smoking crater. The twins crashed into a piece of debris. Junior cut off Cinder's truck, so she decided to go off road. He flew in front of her again, only this time, Qrow shot him out of the sky. Junior jumped out, rolled into a kneeling stance, and began firing at Qrow. Except he already escaped to the main roads.**

" **Director?" Neptune radioed, "Director Xiong, do you copy?"**

" **The Tesseract is with a hostile force," Junior radioed back, "I have men down. Malachite?"**

" **A lot of men still under," Melanie reported, "Maltia is dead. Don't know how many survivors."**

" **Sound a general call," Junior ordered, "I want every living soul not working rescue looking for that briefcase."**

" **Roger that," Melanie radioed.**

" **Neptune get back to base," Junior ordered, "This is a Level Seven. As of right now, we are at war."**

" **What do we do?" Neptune asked.**

 **The Inner Circle**

"Holy shit that was intense." Ruby shuddered.

"I never thought we'd see war." Weiss shrank.

"War's being waged as we speak." Blake said, "You just don't see it."

"Or people are covering it up." Yang suggested.

"What do you think'll happen next?" Nora asked.

"I don't know this seems bleak to say the least." Ren said.

"I think we should keep watching." Pyrrha leaned forward.

"What is the Cube?" Hazel asked Salem.

"I have no idea." Salem shook her head, "This is something exclusive to this reality."

"Or is it?" Watts asked.

"I'm pretty sure it is." Salem deadpanned.

"Worth a shot." Watts shrugged.

"James?" Glynda looked at Ironwood, "Anything to add?"

"I agree with Miss. Nikos." Ironwood nodded, "I want to see how this plays out."

 **In a warehouse on the other side of the world, Emerald was strapped to a chair. One man stepped to her and backhanded her.**

" **This is not how I wanted this evening to go," the leader said.**

" **I know how you wanted this evening to go," Emerald replied, "Believe me, this is better."**

" **Who are you working for?" He asked, "Lermentov, yes?" The one who hit her leaned her chair back over the ledge. "Did he think we have to go through him to move our cargo?"**

" **I thought General Solohob was in charge of the export business," Emerald tried not to look down.**

" **Solohob," the leader laughed as he signaled his man to let Emerald back up, "A bagman, a front. Your outdated information betrays you. The famous Black Widow and she turns out to be simply another pretty face."**

" **You really think I'm pretty?" Emerald asked.**

 **The leader signaled his man and he held her mouth open, "Lermentov we don't need him to move the tanks. Tell him he is out. Well…" he picked up a pair of pliers, "You may have to write it down."**

 **Someone's cellphone began to ring. The man who hadn't done anything yet answered his phone. He then turned to his boss, "It's for her."**

 **The boss took the phone, "You listen carefully…"**

" **You are at 1-14 Silensky Plaza, third floor." Neptune didn't have time to argue, "We have an F-22 exactly eight miles out. Put the woman on the phone before I blow up the block before you even make the lobby." The boss put the phone between her shoulder and ear, "We need you to come in."**

"Neptune taking charge is kinda hot huh Weiss?" Yang leaned over.

Weiss blushed and looked at Neptune smiling at her. He winked and she practically melted in her seat.

"I wonder when I'm going to show." Sun perked up, "You've been kinda quite bud."

"I've liked everything I've seen so far." Neptune shrugged.

" **Are you kidding?" Emerald asked, "I'm working."**

" **This takes precedence," Neptune said.**

" **I am in the middle of an interrogation," Emerald explained, "This moron is giving me everything."**

" **I not giver her everything," the looked at his men who shook their heads.**

 **Emerald looked back with an: "Are-you-serious?" Face.**

" **Look you can't pull me out of this right now," Emerald shook her head.**

" **Emerald," Neptune sighed, "It's Cinder. She's been compromised."**

 **Emerald's face turned dark, "Let me put you on hold."**

 **The boss went for the phone. Emerald kicked his knee, as he fell she head butted him. She stood up, still tied to the chair, and kicked one of them down. She ducked under the third one's swing and kicked his hip. She rolled to the one getting up, planted the chair on his feet, and used the back of her head to hit him. Neptune was waiting patiently on the other line while Emerald finished her interrogation. She leapt into the air and shattered the chair on the boss barely getting up. She was attacked from behind, she used the piece of the chair still tied to her arm to break the grip he had on her. Jumped into the air and kicked his chest. She landed on her hands and jumped back on her feet. She jumped up, wrapped her legs around his head, flipped backwards, and slammed his head into the ground. The boss was getting back up, she slammed his head into the metal railing, wrapped a nearby chain around his ankle, and threw him over the edge.**

" **Where's Cinder now?" Emerald asked picking up her heels.**

"FUCK THE HELL YEAH!" Emerald shot up and cheered.

Cinder and Mercury stared at her onscreen counterpart and then back at their Emerald. Was she really capable of that? Mercury shrunk and didn't want to test her. Cinder was curious if their Emerald could do the same as that one.

" **We don't know," Neptune answered.**

" **But she's alive?" Emerald asked.**

" **We think so," Neptune was watching an old footage of them fighting in a collapsed building, "I'll brief you on everything when you get back. But first we need you to talk to the big guy."**

" **Neptune, you know that Ruby trusts me about as far she can throw me," Emerald smiled.**

" **Oh no," Neptune clarified, "I've got Ruby. You get the big guy."**

 **Emerald stopped dead in her tracks, "Oh shit…"**

"Who's the big guy?" Nora asked.

"Who am I in this universe?" Ruby asked her dejavu came back, "I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Yeah…" Weiss rubbed her forehead, "Like one of the previous realities was erased."

"Yeah…" Mr. WarThunder chimed in, "I hate the concept of erasing memories but since this takes place before the Civil War, I suppressed those memories until that one comes back around. Trust me it'll be worth it."

 **In the deserts of Vacuo, a child was running through the streets. The word crowded didn't come close. Bikes were rode instead of cars. Trash was everywhere, many of the people were bare foot, any vehicle that was seen was either more trash, or a horrid amalgamation of parts. The child ran up the stairs where she was stopped by a man.**

" **Who are you?!" A woman gasped, "There is sickness here! Get out!"**

" **Are you a doctor?!" She cried, "My father's not waking up! He has a fever and he's moaning but his eyes won't open!"**

" **Slow down," Oscar Pine was done washing his hands. He pointed to some sick children on their beds, "Like them?"**

" **My father," she held out a wad of money in her hand, "Please."**

 **The child led her to a shack in the middle of nowhere. Oscar stopped her when a military truck drove by. Once it was clear he entered the house with her. He watched helplessly as she ran ahead of him and out her window.**

 **Oscar scoffed, "Should've gotten paid up-front Pine."**

"Uhhh…" Weiss deadpanned, "Who's that?"

"He looks like the younger Ozpin from JauneSing." Adam pointed out before looking at Ruby, "The cute one."

Ruby was blushing up a storm and giggling uncontrollably.

"He's a doctor." Nora admired.

" **You know," Emerald stepped out of the shadows in a red dress similar to Cinder, "For a man who's supposed to be avoiding stress, you picked a hell of a place to settle."**

"Someone trying to copy me?" Cinder turned to Emerald.

It was Emerald's turn to blush as she retreated into her chair.

" **Avoiding stress isn't the secret," Oscar dropped his medical bag."**

" **Then what is it?" Emerald mockingly asked, "Yoga?"**

" **You brought me to the edge of the city," Oscar began to pace, "Smart. I assume the whole place is surrounded."**

" **Just you and me," Emerald sat at the table.**

" **And your little actress buddy?" Oscar pointed at the window, "Is she a spy too? They start that young?"**

"It makes sense now!" Ironwood slammed his fist in his hand, "I'm not the director because Junior isn't a solider!"

"He's not?" Ruby asked, "He sure acts like it."

"Just because you act like something doesn't make you something." Ironwood shook his head, "Junior is a spy. S.H.E.I.L.D. Is a privately own organization. They probably have government contracts but they're not part of the military."

" **I did," Emerald shrugged.**

" **Who are you?" Oscar asked.**

" **Emerald Sustari," she nodded.**

" **Are you here to kill me Miss. Sustari?" Oscar sighed, "Because that's not going to work out for everyone."**

" **No," Emerald shook her head, "Of course not. I'm here on behalf of S.H.E.I.L.D."**

" **S.H.E.I.L.D.?" Oscar shook his head not recognizing the name, "How'd they find me?"**

" **We never lost you Doctor," Emerald explained, "We've kept our distance. Even helped keep some other interested parties off your scent."**

" **Why?" Oscar asked.**

" **Hei Xiong seems to trust you," Emerald shrugged, "Now we need you to come in."**

" **What if I say no?" Oscar twitched.**

" **I'll persuade you," Emerald smiled.**

" **And what if Ozpin says no?" Oscar pointed at his chest.**

"Wait what?" Ruby asked.

Salem turned to Ozpin with a knowing smile.

"Two people in one body?" Yang said, "Isn't that one of your books Blake?"

Blake blushed at the implications.

"NOT THAT KIND!" Yang yelled.

Blake coughed and regain composure, "Right! Right! The Man with Two Souls!"

" **You've been more than a year without an incident," Emerald recalled, "I don't think you want to break that streak."**

" **Well," Oscar played with a wooden swing, "I don't every time get what I want."**

" **Doctor," Emerald pulled out her scroll, "We're facing a potential global catastrophe."**

" **Well," Oscar chuckled, "Those I actively try to avoid."**

" **This," she slid the scroll over to him, "Is The Tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet."**

" **What does Junior want me to do with it?" Oscar looked at the picture on screen, "Swallow it?"**

" **He wants you to find it," Emerald leaned forward. "It's been taken. It emits a gamma signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows gamma radiation like you do. If there was that's where I'd be."**

" **Junior isn't after Ozpin?" Oscar removed his glasses.**

" **Not that he's told me," Emerald leaned back.**

" **And he tells you everything?" Oscar asked.**

" **Talk to Junior," Emerald avoided that question, "He needs you on this."**

" **He needs me in a cage?" Oscar asked.**

" **No one's going to put you in…"**

" **STOP LYING TO ME!" Oscar punched the table.**

 **Emerald quickly drew her gun and aimed it at him.**

" **I'm sorry," Oscar smiled and straightened himself, "That was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do. Why don't we do this the easy way. Where you don't use that and Ozpin doesn't make a mess. Okay? Emerald?"**

" **Stand down," Emerald told the soldiers outside, "We're good here."**

" **Just you and me?" Oscar mocked.**

"Oh yeah definitely a spy." Ironwood scoffed, "Manipulative as fuck."

Emerald was about to disagree, until she remembered that she had done her fair share of manipulation in her life. Cinder was enjoying this Emerald and hoped to turn her's into this one.

" **This is out of line director," a councilman spoke to Junior, "You're dealing with forces you can't control."**

" **You ever been in a war councilman?" Junior asked, "In a firefight? Did you feel an overabundance of control?"**

" **Are you saying that this Asgard is declaring war on our planet?" He asked.**

" **Not Asgard," Junior corrected, "Qrow."**

" **He can't be working alone," the only woman on the council spoke, "What about the other one? His sister?"**

" **Out intelligence says Raven is not a hostile," Junior explained, "But she's worlds away. We can't depend on her to help either. It's up to us."**

" **Which is why you should be focusing on Phase Two," the councilman resumed, "It was designed for exactly this…"**

" **Phase Two isn't ready," Junior cut him off, "Our enemy is. We need a response team."**

" **The Inner Circle Initiative was shut down," the councilman growled.**

" **This isn't about The Inner Circle," Junior shook his head.**

" **We've seen the list. You're running the world's greatest security network and you're going to leave the fate of the human race to a handful of freaks."**

" **I'm not leaving anything to anyone," Junior snapped, "We need a response team. These people may be isolated, unbalanced even but I believe with the right push they can be exactly what we need."**

" **You believe?" The councilwoman asked.**

" **War isn't won by sentiment Director," the councilman said.**

" **No," Junior shook his head, "It's won by soldiers."**

 **The sounds of punches hitting a bag filled the gymnasium. Jaune was hitting the bag, jumping back, then hitting it again.**

"JAUNE!" The students cheered.

 **He continued to swing until the sounds of bullets came to his ears. His punches grew harder, and the bullets grew louder. He was running through the woods using his shield to block explosions. He blocked a laser shot from a man in black then delivered a flying knee.**

Ironwood clenched his fist, he was angry. He knew exactly what was wrong with Jaune and he hated himself because he couldn't do anything to help him or the men under his command who suffered from the same thing.

" **There's not enough time," his voice haunted him, "I gotta put her in the water!" Jaune was piloting an early model of Ironwood's warship.**

" **You won't be alone," a woman's voice echoed as Jaune piloted the ship into Mantel's frozen ocean.**

" **Oh my god," a doctor thawing him out of an ice cube gasped, "This guy's still alive!"**

 **Jaune delivered one final punch and the bag exploded. It was ripped from the ceiling and thrown across the room. He sighed and put up another one. He resumed punching.**

"Damn vomit boy." Yang was impressed ignoring the flashbacks.

"What happened to him?" Pyrrha asked.

"That model is at least seventy years old." Ironwood guessed, "Seventy years ago was the War to end all Wars. If I were to guess he was in it…he left her behind."

"Who was she?" Nora asked.

" **Trouble sleeping?" Junior asked.**

" **Slept for seventy years sir," Jaune continued, "I think I've had my fill."**

" **The you should be out," Junior began toward him, "Celebrating. Seeing the world."**

 **Jaune stopped and began taking the tape off his hands, "When I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost."**

" **We've made some mistakes along the way," Junior admitted, "Some very recently."**

" **Here with a mission sir?" Jaune asked.**

" **I am," Junior nodded.**

" **Trying to get me back into the world," Jaune unwrapped his other hand.**

" **Trying to save it," Junior handed him a file.**

" **The Black Fang's secret weapon," Jaune stared at a picture of The Tesseract.**

" **Summer Rose fished that out of the ocean when she was looking for you," Junior explained. "She thought what we think. The Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs."**

"Huh?" Summer looked up.

"You're here too?" Ruby piped up, "Oh! OH! Where are you?!"

"Calm down little Rubes." Taiyang tried to hold down his vibrating daughter.

" **Who took it from you?" Jaune handed back the file.**

" **He's called Qrow," Junior answered, "He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten a lot stranger than the world you know."**

" **At this point," Jaune shook his head, "I doubt anything would surprise me."**

" **Ten bucks says you're wrong," Junior smirked.**

 **Jaune had his gym bag in one hand and he threw a sandbag over his shoulder.**

" **There's a debriefing packet waiting for you back at your apartment," Junior said before Jaune walked out. "Is there anything you can tell us about The Tesseract that we ought to know now?"**

" **You should've left it in the ocean," Jaune walked out of the gym.**

"Could he be MORE cynical?" Adam asked.

"Probably." Emerald shrugged.

"He knows the true power of it." Ghira solemnly said, "It's probably why he was asleep for seventy years."

"The reason he had to leave her behind." Kali agreed.

"Still wondering who she is." Pyrrha annoyedly raised her hand.

 **In the bottom of the ocean was a red suit of armor. It was cutting a metal tube. It placed a ring on the area, it self adjusted then expanded to cover the metal that was just cut off. Once the ring turned on the suit left the ocean.**

" **Good to go on this end," Ruby spoke from the suit, "The rest is up to you."**

" **You disconnected the transmission lines?" Weiss asked, "Are we off the grid?"**

" **The Rose Tower is about to become a beacon of self-sustaining clean energy."**

" **Well, assuming the arc reactor takes over and it actually works," Weiss clarified.**

" **I assume," Ruby kept flying though the city of Vale, "Light her up."**

 **Beacon Academy was unusually dark. Then from the bottom up every light was beginning to turn on. Then a giant: "ROSE" lit up a few floors down from the main office.**

" **How does it look?" Weiss asked.**

" **Like Christmas," Ruby smiled, "But with more me."**

"Wow…" Yang guffawed, "I thought Weiss was the egotistical one."

"Really Ruby?" Weiss shook her head, "How do you even get your head in that helmet?"

"A tower with your name on it too?" Blake rolled her eyes, "You're like Weiss Times ten!"

Ruby just smiled, "I've got a robot suit. What do you got?"

"She's got a point…" Adam shrugged.

" **We've got to go wider on the public awareness campaign," Weiss was ecstatic, "You need to do some press. I'm going to Atlas tomorrow. I'm working on the zoning for the next three buildings."**

" **Weiss," Ruby sighed, "You're killing me. The moment, remember? Enjoy the moment."**

" **Get in here and I will," Weiss seductively whispered.**

RBY and NPR looked at Weiss, who in returned thought about her position. She wasn't rich, but she was with Ruby and helping her run everything. Maybe this version of her would be more humble.

"I mean…" she began, "Uh…I don't even know what to do with this."

"Looks like your roles are reversed." Pyrrha pointed out, "Ruby's the rich girl and Weiss is the girlfriend."

"Weiss!" Ruby faux-gasped, "Are you with me only for my money!"

"Oh, hush you!" Weiss snapped, "Look at what I'm wearing. If I was a gold-digger, I'd be in designer shoes and jewelry! Not booty shorts and a button up that looks like it isn't even my size!"

Everyone else nearly sent their drinks flying. Yang was dying on the floor. Ruby and Weiss were too busy in their own little world to notice everyone staring at them.

 **Ruby landed on a platform. As she walked arms came out of the walkway and began removing her armor.**

" **Ma'am," Ren's voice echoed, "Agent Neptune of S.H.E.I.L.D. Is on the line."**

"Is Ren Jimmy Cricket?" Ozpin asked.

"Well out of all of them." Glynda gestured to all of them, "I would choose him to be the most level headed one."

"I take offense to that." Pyrrha pouted.

" **I'm not in," the arms removed Ruby's helmet, "I'm actually out."**

" **Ma'am I'm afraid he's insisting," Ren urged.**

" **Grow a spine Ren," Ruby dismissed, "I got a date."**

" **Levels are holding steady," Weiss watched a hologram of the building, "I think."**

" **Of course, they are," Ruby stepped into the room, "I was directly involved. Which brings me to my next question. How does it feel to be a genius?"**

" **Well," Weiss shrugged, "I wouldn't know, now would I?"**

" **What do you mean?" Ruby was taken back, "All this came from you."**

" **No," Weiss shook her head, "All this came from that." Weiss tapped the arc reactor in Ruby's chest.**

"What do?" Ruby asked examining the reactor.

"It looks like the power for your suit." Weiss had to squint to see it.

"Okay." Ruby nodded, "But why is it IN me? I mean I love weapons, but body modification is a little too far."

"Oh please." Yang rolled her eyes, "Like you've never wanted guns for arms."

"No because if it breaks then I'm down both a weapon AND a limb!" Ruby defended.

"Your thoughts?" Glynda looked at Ironwood gesturing to his left half.

"This wasn't by choice…" Ironwood rubbed his metal shoulder, "I don't think hers was either…I can't think of any sane person who would voluntarily remove a piece of themselves."

 **Ruby looked down, "Give yourself some credit. Please. Rose Tower is your baby. Give yourself twelve percent of the credit."**

" **Twelve percent?" Weiss' smile vanished.**

" **An argument can be made for fifteen," Ruby tried to save the moment.**

" **Twelve percent of MY baby?" Weiss asked.**

Weiss shot a glare at Ruby.

" **Well I did do all the heavy lifting," Ruby pointed out, "Literally. I lifted the heavy things. And, sorry, but the security snafu? That was on you."**

Ruby shot a glare at Weiss, although hers was cute vs Weiss' venom fueled one.

" **Oh?" Weiss grabbed the bottle of champagne.**

" **My private elevator," Ruby joined her.**

" **You mean our elevator?" Weiss poured two glasses.**

" **It was teeming with sweaty workman," Ruby took her glass, "I'm going to pay for that moment about percentages in some subtle way later, aren't I?"**

 **Weiss shook her head, "I'm not going to be that subtle."**

" **I'll tell you what," Ruby had an idea, "The next building will say: "Weiss" on the tower."**

" **On the lease," Weiss corrected.**

Weiss liked this version of her. Sure, the building could say: "Weiss" but that could change easily. But if it says it on the lease, well that was harder to change.

 **Ruby pulled her glass back, "Call your mom. Can you bunk over?"**

" **Ma'am the telephone," Ren's voice echoed, "I'm afraid my protocols are being overridden."**

" **Miss. Rose." Neptune's voice was on speaker, "We need to talk,"**

 **Ruby rolled her eyes and picked up the phone, "You have reached the life size model decoy of Ruby Rose. Please leave a message." Weiss couldn't help but laugh.**

" **This is urgent," Neptune said.**

" **Then leave it urgently," Ruby responded. The elevator opened revealing Neptune, "Security breach! It's on you."**

" **Miss. Rose," Neptune sighed.**

" **Neptune!" Weiss stood up, "Come in."**

" **Neptune?" Ruby was confused.**

" **I can't stay," Neptune walked in.**

" **Uh," Ruby got up, "His first name is: "Agent."**

"She's got your sense of humor…" Winter groaned all the times Qrow made the stupid joke her name was: "Specialist Schnee."

"That's my niece!" Qrow clapped.

Raven groaned.

" **Come on in," Weiss smiled, "We're celebrating."**

" **Which is why he can't stay," Ruby's smile was a lot more forced.**

"Someone's jealous." Yang leaned over.

"Ruby?" Weiss looked at her as Ruby swiped her from Neptune's side.

"Mine!" she hissed.

"Challenge accepted." Neptune hissed back.

" **We need you to look this over," Neptune held out a tablet.**

" **I don't like being handed things," Ruby shook her head.**

" **That's fine," Weiss took the tablet, "Because I love being handed things. So, let's trade." She gave her champagne to Neptune. Then she took Ruby's and gave her the tablet.**

" **Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday." Ruby shook the tablet.**

" **This isn't a consultation," Neptune shook his head.**

" **Is this about the Inner Circle?" Weiss asked, "Which I know nothing about."**

"Subtle Weiss." Blake shook her head.

"Inner Circle?" Ironwood asked, "Sounds iffy."

"What would you prefer?" Glynda asked, "The Avengers?"

"Now that's just ridiculous!" Ironwood chuckled.

" **The Inner Circle Initiative was scrapped," Ruby opened the tablet. "And I thought I didn't even qualify?"**

" **I didn't know that either," Weiss shook her head.**

" **Yeah," Ruby explained, "Apparently I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others."**

 **Weiss thought it over for a second, "That I did know."**

" **This isn't about personality profiles anymore," Neptune explained.**

" **Whatever," Ruby ignored him, "Miss. Schnee, got a second?"**

" **Half a mo," Weiss whispered and went to Ruby.**

" **You know, I thought we were having a moment," Ruby grumbled.**

" **I was having twelve percent of a moment," Weiss deadpanned, "This seems serious. Neptune's pretty shaken."**

"Oooh catty." Yang snickered at Weiss.

"I did say I wasn't going to be that subtle." Weiss looked at both Ruby and Neptune with sparks going off between them

" **How would you know if it's…Why is he "Neptune"?" Ruby asked.**

" **What is all of this?" Weiss looked at the tablet.**

" **This is," Ruby projected what was on the tablet into the holograms.**

 **Four different projections were shown. Jaune's profile had blueprints of his shield, footage of his assaults the Black Fang bases, and footage of him being thawed out of the ice. Oscar's had a picture of him, but the video was of a green monster with white hair ripping the turret off a tank. Raven's had footage of her battling the Destroyer, and one of her sword in stone.**

"So, we missed A LOT!" Yang examined each screen, "What is my mom fighting?"

"That not like anything I've ever seen…" Ironwood examined the destroyer, "It looks other worldly."

"Hmmm." Salem leaned forward.

"You have the weirdest transformations in these Oz." Qrow watched Ozpin rip apart tanks.

"At least this time I'm not attacked by my students." Ozpin rubbed his jaw.

"I regret nothing." Nora crossed her arms.

"What time period is Jaune in?" Pyrrha asked.

"Seventy years ago, there was a war to end all wars." Ghira started, "In our world, humans were the ones trying to conquer the world. Six million faunus men, women, and children where…killed doesn't even come close. In this one I guess the roles are reversed."

"Fitting I'd say." Adam shrugged.

"If you knew what happened back then." Ghira growled, "You wouldn't be saying that."

" **I'm going to take the jet to Atlas tonight," Weiss stared at each screen.**

" **Tomorrow," Ruby said.**

" **You have homework," Weiss pointed at the screens, "You have a lot of homework."**

" **Well, what if I didn't?" Ruby asked.**

" **If you didn't?" Weiss turned to her.**

" **Yeah," Ruby nodded.**

" **You mean when you finished? Well, then…" Weiss leaned in to whisper in Ruby's ear. The face that Ruby made was priceless. Neptune blushed and looked away.**

"Goo-hoo-ho-hello." Yang smiled, "Weiss do you have a side we don't know about?"

Weiss blushed, "No!"

"Ruby says otherwise." Neptune smirked.

" **Square deal," Ruby nodded, "Fly safe."**

 **Weiss chuckled and kissed her, "Work hard."**

" **So, any chance you're driving by LaGuardia?" Weiss asked.**

" **I can drop you," Neptune stepped back into the elevator.**

" **Fantastic," Weiss entered with him, "Now, I wanna hear about the cellist. Is that still a thing?"**

" **She moved back to Mistral," Neptune said.**

" **What?" Weiss gasped, "Boo!"**

 **A jet was flying over water toward an aircraft carrier.**

" **We're about four minutes out from base sir," the pilot told Neptune.**

"At least this Weiss has less of an attitude problem." Neptune shrugged.

EVERYONE stared at him. He looked around then at Weiss with a red face and steam coming out of her ears. The loudest slap echoed through the world. Sun shook Neptune trying to wake him up, while Weiss snuggled up to Ruby.

"Idiot." Yang rolled her eyes.

"And I thought Jaune was dense." Pyrrha rubbed forehead.

" **So, this Dr. Pine was trying to recreate the serum they used on me?" Jaune asked watching the footage.**

" **A lot of people were," Neptune nodded, "You were the world's first superhero. Dr. Pine thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking the original formula."**

" **Didn't really go his way did it?" Jaune watched Ozpin rip tanks apart.**

" **Not so much," Neptune shook his head, "When he's not that thing though the guy's like a Stephen Hawking." Jaune didn't know who that was, "He's like a smart person." Jaune nodded, "I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you officially. I sort of met you. I watched you while you were sleeping. I mean I was present while you were unconscious in the ice. You know, it's really just a huge honor to have you on board this."**

" **Well I hope I'm the man for the job." Jaune looked out the window.**

" **Oh, you are." Neptune was going full fanboy, "Absolutely. We made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input."**

" **The uniform?" Jaune asked. "Aren't the green and axes a little old-fashioned?"**

" **With everything that's happening, and the things that are about to come to light." Neptune shrugged, "I think people might just need a little old-fashioned."**

 **Jaune nodded in agreement.**

"So I got a question." Ruby raised her hand, "If Oscar gets angry and turns into Ozpin. Wouldn't this role be perfect for Yang?"

"Normally I would be against my daughter's rage semblance." Summer ruffled Yang's hair, "But that's a good question."

"From what I can gather." Ozpin thought over the situation, "The way that Oscar talks about Ozpin he's…I'm…a different person, thing living inside of him that Oscar is keeping in check."

"Well that sounds familiar." Salem chuckled.

 **In a darkened hallway, Qrow's turned soldiers were running laps. In the center was a lab. Dr. Merlot was recreating the teleportor he had at S.H.E.I.L.D. Meanwhile at the other end of the hall, Qrow used his scepter to visit between the realms.**

" **The Chitauri grow restless," the seer from the beginning spoke.**

" **Let them gird themselves," Qrow said, "I will lead them in the glorious battle."**

" **Battle?" The seer asked. "Against the meager might of Remnant?"**

" **Glorious," Qrow explained, "Not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim."**

" **You question us?" The seer snapped, "You question her? She who put the scepter in your hand? Who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were cast out, defeated?"**

" **I was a king!" Qrow snapped, "The rightful King of Asgard, betrayed."**

" **Your ambition is little," the seer snarled, "And born of childish need. We look beyond Remnant to the greater worlds The Tesseract will unveil."**

" **You don't have The Tesseract yet," Qrow spotted a staircase. The Seer screamed as it blocked his path, "I don't threaten. But until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you are but words."**

" **You will have your war Asgardian," the seer sneered. "If you fail, if The Tesseract is kept from us…there will be no realm…no barren moon…no crevice where she cannot find you. You think you know pain? She will make you long for something as sweet as pain." The seer jabbed his pointed tentacle into Qrow's temple and snapped him out of his vision.**

 **The jet landed on the aircraft carrier and Jaune and Neptune stepped off.**

"So…" Watts stared at the screen, "Instead of the Grimm Queen, you're the Queen of Space?"

"That's something I never thought about…" Salem looked at the stars on the screen, "I wonder what's out there…beyond our little world."

"What's Asgard?" Nora asked Raven, "It sounds familiar…"

"Hell if I know." Raven scoffed, "Ask the good one."

"Don't look at me kid." Qrow shook his head, "I got nothing."

"Its still throwing me through a loop that RAVEN is a good guy." Glynda threw her arms up.

"Oh eat a dick." Raven threw her popcorn at her.

" **Stow the Captain's gear," Neptune ordered the men that greeted them. Emerald came out of the carrier to greet them, "Agent Sustari, Captain Arc."**

" **Ma'am," Jaune nodded.**

" **Hi," Emerald greeted, "They need you on the bridge. They're starting the face-trace."**

" **See you there," Jaune watched Neptune run into the carrier.**

" **It was quite the buzz around here," Emerald and Jaune walked around the deck, "Finding you in the ice. Thought Neptune was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain Vale trading cards yet?"**

" **Trading cards?" Jaune asked.**

" **They're vintage," Emerald nodded, "He's very proud."**

Pyrrha groaned sinking into her seat. _Stupid Pumpkin Pete trading cards._

As if her name and picture being mass produced and circulated wasn't bad enough. Some with a little too much time on their hands made some more _naughty_ ones.

 **Oscar was clearly lost. He kept fiddling with his hands trying to to get in anyone's way.**

" **Dr. Pine," Jaune approached him**

" **Yeah," Oscar shook his hand, "Hi, they told me you'd be coming."**

" **The word is you can find the cube," Jaune shook his hand.**

" **Is that the only word on me?" Oscar looked around.**

" **Only word I care about," Jaune nodded.**

 **Oscar nodded, he believed Jaune for the moment, "It must be strange for you, all of this."**

" **Well," Jaune heard a military-cadence, "This is kinda familiar."**

" **Gentlemen," Emerald spoke to someone over her ear piece, "You might want to step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breathe."**

 **Alarms started to go off, the carrier began to shake, and the men on the deck were securing the planes.**

" **Is this a submarine?" Jaune walked over to the edge.**

" **Really?" Oscar joined him, "They want me in a submerged, pressurized, metal tube?" Four turbines came out of the water and attached themselves to the carrier. Before long the entire carrier began to lift up, "No, no. This is MUCH worse."**

"THAT'S SO COOL!" Ruby bounced around the theater.

"Really Jimmy?" Qrow looked at Ironwood with a dead stare, "A boat in the sky?"

"Hey I'm not the leader here." Ironwood raised his hands in defense, "But if you think about its kind of a cool idea. I mean, its an aircraft carrier already in the air!"

 **Emerald led them into the control room. There were a total of eighty two different monitors in the control room. Each one had an agent manning it. Junior was in the center with six terminals of his own. Melanie had three of her own.**

" **Hover power check complete. Position cyclic. Increase collective to eight-point-zero percent."**

 **Jaune looked around and smiled. Oscar found two guards staring right at him.**

"Come on man!" Yang yelled, "Just because he can turn into a monster doesn't mean he IS one!"

"He cant take the chance." Ironwood reasoned, "If theres even a minuscule chance Ozpin takes over, then EVERYONE on that ship is in danger."

"But what if he doesn't?" Ruby asked.

"There are a million "what if"s in the world Miss. Rose." Ironwood said.

"BUT WHAT IF HE DOESN'T?!" Ruby asked with more volume, "You say if theres a one percent chance that Ozpin will take over, well, what about Oscar's 99%? I think 99 is greater than one! I think he's worth betting on!"

Summer smiled at her daughter and squeezed her hand.

" **Preparing for maximum performance takeoff. Increase output capacity."**

" **Power plant performing at capacity. We are clear."**

" **All engines operating," Melanie reported, "S.H.E.I.L.D. Emergency Protocol 193.6 in effect. We're at level sir."**

" **Good," Junior smiled, "Let's vanish."**

" **Engaging retro-reflection panels." The entire bottom part of the Helicarrier vanished. "Retro-reflection panels engaged."**

"Okay that's pretty cool." Qrow admitted.

" **Gentlemen," Junior turned around. Before he could get another word out, Jaune walked up to him and gave him a ten dollar lien card. Junior took the card with a smirk as Jaune went forward to look out the windows.**

" **Doctor thank you for coming." Junior extended his hand.**

 **Oscar stared at the hand before shaking it limply, "Thanks for asking nicely. So, how long am I staying?"**

"Lies!" Cinder and her posse yelled, "I'll bet money he'll keep him locked up or under not-so-subtle servalance."

"Well Emerald did say that S.H.E.I.L.D. never lost him." Roman shrugged, "Probably the second one."

"Never trust a spy." Ironwood said.

"Because soldiers are so truthful." Qrow scoffed.

"More than spies." Ironwood shifted his gaze at Qrow, Raven, and Ozpin, "More than a drunk too."

" **Once we get our hands on The Tesseract," Junior shrugged, "You're in the wind."**

" **Where are you with that?" Oscar asked.**

" **We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet." Neptune crossed his arms, "Scrolls, Laptops, if it's connected to a satellite it's eyes and ears for us."**

 **Emerald fiddled with a screen with Cinder on it.**

" **Still not going to find them in time." Emerald said.**

" **You have to narrow your field." Oscar said, "How many spectrometers do you have access to?"**

" **How many are there?" Junior asked.**

" **Call every lab you know." Oscar instructed, "Tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm, basic cluster recognition. At least we can rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?"**

" **Agent Sustari." Junior called out, "Could you show Dr. Pine to his laboratory please?"**

" **You're gonna love it Doc." Emerald led him out, "We've got all the toys."**

"Do you think he knows?" Nora asked.

"Of course he does." Blake pointed at the screen, "He's been running his whole life. He knows who's lying to him and who's actually telling the truth."

"He might let him go." Pyrrha shrugged, "But that doesn't mean they won't stop tracking and watching his every move though."

" **Put it over there." Dr. Merlot ordered as he continued to build the portal he had back at S.H.I.E.L.D. "Where did you find all these people?"**

" **S.H.I.E.L.D. Has no shortage of enemies Doctor." Cinder said playing with a tablet, "This the stuff you need?"**

" **Yes!" Dr. Merlot cheered, "Iridium! It's found in meteorites. It forms antiprotons. It's very hard to get ahold of."**

" **Especially if S.H.I.E.L.D. Knows you need it." Cinder put down the tablet.**

" **Well I didn't know!" Dr. Merlot shrugged, "Hey!" He smiled at Qrow as he walked in. "The Tesseract has shown me show much. It's…it's more than knowledge. It's truth."**

"I can't tell if Qrow made him crazy or if that's the same Merlot." Port whispered to Oobleck.

"It is hard to tell the difference." Oobleck admitted.

"Maybe it was the same Merlot and Qrow just amplified it?" Glynda suggested.

" **I know." Qrow smiled, "What did it show you Agent Fall?"**

 **Cinder pulled a bow from its case, "My next target."**

" **Tell me what you need." Qrow said.**

" **I need a distraction and an eyeball." Cinder said.**

"Why do you need an eyeball?" Ruby suddenly got worried.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Cinder viciously smiled at the Little Reaper.

 **Back on the hellicarrier, Jaune and Neptune were standing side-by-side while the crew ran facial recognition.**

" **I mean…" Neptune awkwardly said, "If it's not too much trouble."**

" **No, no it's fine." Jaune dismissed.**

 **Neptune almost squirmed, "It's a vintage set. It took me a couple of years to collect them all. Near mint. Slight foxing around the edges, but…"**

"I don't think I have to worry." Ruby gloated.

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Neptune clearly has a crush on Jaune." Ruby pointed at the screen.

"You have a celebrity crush!" Sun gloated before rolling onto the floor.

"A legendary hero?" Neptune asked, "Not to mention, LOOK AT HIM! My god what a beefcake."

Pyrrha and Ruby couldn't help but droolfully nod at their own mental image of Captain Jaune.

" **We got a match!" One of the technicians spoke up, "68%. Wait, cross match, 79%."**

" **Location?" Neptune asked.**

" **Stuttgart, Mantel." The technician changed the screen to a map, "28 Königstrasse. He's not exactly hiding."**

" **Captain." Junior said, "You're up."**

 **Jaune nodded and stepped off the bridge, he stepped into the armory where his new uniform was waiting. Black and Green with two crossed axes on the chest.**

"That should be the school uniform!" Nora jumped up, "Then we could look like real superheroes!"

Ozpin thought…

"No." Glynda swiftly said.

Ozpin's dreams were crushed in an instant.

 **At the back entrance where two guards. One above and one below. The one on the ground was struck by an arrow, the second raised his gun and was shot down too. Cinder walked past the bodies and stood right to an eye scanner. Qrow was on the second floor looking over everyone. He began down the stairs his scepter disguised as a cane. He walked behind the head of the event, struck down his bodyguard, then flipped him onto the table. Outside Cinder placed a three-pronged machine in front of the eye scanner while Qrow held the other in his hand. When Cinder pressed a button on hers, Qrow's grew three blades and began to spin in a circle. He drove it on the man's eye and his screams sent everybody running. A hologram of the man's eye was formed on Cinder's side and the door opened. As Cinder was grabbing the iridium, Qrow dropped the disguise and followed the panicking people outside. A police car was coming by, Qrow shot a magical bolt at him and the car was sent flying.**

" **Kneel before me." Qrow stated as his clones surrounded the panicking crowd, "I said…" he slammed his scepter and all of their jewels glowed, "KNEEL!"**

"Not bad." Salem nodded with approval, "Not bad at all Qrow."

"He could've done more." Cinder shrugged, "Killed a few more."

"Then who would he have left to rule?" Watts asked, "Do learn to think before you talk."

Cinder felt a bubble of rage in her belly. She chewed the inside of her cheek before exhaling and resumed watching.

 **The crowd complied after that.**

 **Qrow smiled as he watched them kneel, "Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom dismisses your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end you will always kneel."**

 **An old man stood up and looked at Qrow, "Not to men like you."**

 **Qrow laughed, "There are no men like me."**

" **There are always be men like you." The old man said.**

" **Look to your elder people." Qrow instructed as he raised his scepter, "Let him be an example."**

The villains leaned forward in anticipation. They wanted to see and revel in the sight of one of the good guys commit cold blooded murder. Salem and Cinder were ecstatic, especially since that would be exactly how they would do it, by making an example of them. The wording on the speech would've been a little different though.

 **Qrow fired his scepter, only at the last minute a shield came down and the bolt was deflected back at him. The shot made him fall on his face and Jaune stood before him.**

"Suck it you wannabe god!" Pyrrha jumped up and cheered before quickly regaining her composure and sat back down.

"Now whatever could have brought that on?" Nora pondered tapping her chin, "Would be your man jumping in and saving the day?" Nora wiggled her eyebrows.

" **You know the last time I was in Mantle." Jaune spoke, "And saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."**

" **The solider." Qrow smiled, "The Man Out of Time."**

" **I'm not the one who's out of time." Jaune shook his head as a jet flew in behind him.**

" **Qrow!" Emerald spoke over the speakers, "Put down the weapon and stand down.**

 **Qrow fired and the jet, while he was distracted Jaune threw his shield at him. He punched him, but Qrow was unfazed. Jaune blocked his scepter with his shield, but Qrow forced his out of the way and knocked him into a nearby fountain. Jaune threw his shield again, but Qrow knocked it down. Jaune leapt to his feet and began throwing punches. He ducked under a scepter swing and delivered a swift kidney punch. Qrow simply turned around and threw Jaune into the concrete.**

" **Kneel." Qrow said holding the end of the scepter to Jaune's head.**

" **Not today!" Jaune pushed the scepter away, jumped up, and kicked Qrow in the face.**

" **Guys all over the place." Emerald lined up the jet trying to get a clear shot. Then she heard music?**

Yang, Nora, and Mercury started banging their heads to the song choice.

" **Agent Sustari." Ruby hacked into the jet, "You miss me?"**

 **The music took over the main sound system and began blaring shocking both Jaune and Qrow. Soon enough Ruby was flying in, she shot Qrow onto the stone steps before she landed in front of him.**

" **Make your move Drunkle Qrow." Ruby raised her arms as guns and missiles came out of her forearms and shoulders.**

"TOLD YOU!" Ruby victoriously pointed at her team.

"Only YOU would cram a bunch of weapons into a suit of armor." Taiyang ruffled her hair.

"Red and Gold?" Pyrrha turned to Ruby, "Now who's stealing who's color scheme?"

 **Qrow made his armor vanish and he raised his hands.**

" **Good move." Ruby's weapons retreated into her suit.**

" **Miss. Rose." Jaune was out of breath.**

" **Captain." Ruby nodded in his direction.**

"THAT'S MY SISTER!" Yang applauded the entrance Ruby made.

"Its no wonder you two are sisters." Weiss groaned.

"I'm so proud!" Taiyang hugged his daughter with anime tears in his eyes.

"If you're gonna make an entrance you gotta do it with style!" Nora jumped up.

" **Is he saying anything?" Junior asked radioing the jet.**

" **Not a word." Emerald responded.**

" **Just get him here." Junior ordered, "We're low on time."**

" **I don't like it." Juane whispered to Ruby.**

" **What?" Ruby asked, "Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"**

" **I don't remember it being that easy." Jaune said, "This guy packs a wallop."**

" **Still." Ruby shrugged, "You are pretty spry for an older fellow. What's your thing, Pilates?"**

"Damn." Emerald was impressed, "Maybe this role should've gone to you Merc."

"I'm not that much of a smart ass." Mercury tried defending himself.

"Yes, you are." Roman, Cinder, Emerald, Watts, and Hazel said while Neo was nodding furiously.

" **What?" Jaune glared at the implications.**

" **It's like calisthenics." Ruby explained, "You might have missed a couple of things, you know, doing time as a cap-sickle."**

"Maybe it should've gone to you Yang." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"That was too easy." Yang shook her head, "I've taught you better than that Ruby."

"If you really think I was listening to your lessons on how to make a proper pun you are sadly mistaken." Ruby was flicked by Taiyang.

"Those are important lessons." Taiyang was flicked by Summer.

"No." Summer shook her head, "Just no."

" **Junior didn't tell me he was calling you in." Jaune was getting rather annoyed.**

" **Yeah." Ruby chuckled, "There's a lot of things Junior doesn't tell you."**

 **Thunder began to strike all around them.**

" **Where's this coming from?" Emerald asked.**

 **Qrow began to tense up.**

" **What's the matter?" Jaune asked, "Scared of a little lightning?"**

" **I'm not overly fond of what follows." Qrow admitted.**

 **Landing directly on the ship was Raven. She shook the plane with her landing, Ruby quickly put her helmet back on. She opened the rear hatch while Jaune was putting on his.**

" **What are you doing?" Jaune asked.**

 **Raven began walking toward them. Ruby raised her hand to fire, but Raven knocked her into Jaune with the hilt of her sword. She grabbed Qrow and flew out of the plane.**

 **Ruby groaned getting back up, "Now there's this chick."**

" **Another Asgardian?" Emerald asked.**

" **She's a friendly?" Jaune asked.**

" **Doesn't matter." Ruby stood at the edge of the hatch, "If she frees Qrow or kills him The Tesseract's lost."**

" **Rose!" Jaune yelled, "We need a plan of attack."**

" **I have a plan." Ruby looked back, "Attack." She jumped out and began to chase Raven.**

"Maybe it should be Nora." Pyrrha looked at the Sugary Bomber.

"That's the perfect plan!" Nora agreed.

"I'm glad Jaune's the leader." Ren sighed.

"Boop!" Nora poked his nose with her finger.

 **Jaune grabbed a nearby parachute and his shield.**

" **I'd sit this one out Cap." Emerald advised.**

" **I don't see how I can." Jaune shook his head.**

" **These people come from legends they're basically gods." Emerald warned.**

" **There's only one god ma'am." Jaune said, "And I'm pretty sure she doesn't dress like that." Once he was ready, Jaune jumped out of the plane too.**

 **Raven threw Qrow ahead on a cliff before landing and burying her sword into the rock, "Where is the Tesseract?"**

" **I've missed you too." Qrow laughed.**

" **Do I look to be in a gaming mood?" Raven threatened.**

"Are you ever?" Qrow rolled his eyes.

"Not around you I'm not." Raven scoffed.

"Oh please." Summer crossed her arms, "Even in school you were such a fuddy-duddy."

Raven actually pouted in her seat.

" **You should thank me." Qrow sat up, "With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here to your precious Remnant?"**

" **I thought you dead." Raven held him by the neck.**

" **Did you mourn?" Qrow asked.**

" **We all did." Raven answered, "Our father…"**

" **YOUR father." Qrow corrected, "He did tell you of my true parentage did he not?" He wrenched himself free and began pacing.**

" **We were raised together." Raven said, "We played together. We fought together. Do you remember none of that?"**

" **I remember a shadow." Qrow turned to face her, "Living in the shadow of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I who was and should be king!"**

" **So, you take the world I love as a recompense for your imagined slights?" Raven's face twisted to one of disgust, "No. Remnant is under my protection Qrow."**

 **Qrow laughed at the statement, "And you're doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I need to rule them, and why should I not?"**

" **You think yourself above them?" Raven asked.**

" **Well yes." Qrow answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.**

" **Then you miss the truth of ruling brother." Raven shook her head, "A throne would suit you ill."**

"You know seeing you as a good guy is weird enough…" Qrow said, "But hearing you preach like that with such conviction is something else."

Adam had a weird sense of dejavu at that moment.

"Imagine being ME." Raven said, "This you I can believe. Give you enough booze and I doubt the Oracle could predict what would come out of your mouth."

Qrow opened his mouth to object, but then he closed his mouth.

 **Qrow shoved Raven aside and began forward, "I've seen worlds you've never known about! I have grown, Odindaughter, in my exile. I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it…"**

" **Who showed you this power?" Raven demanded, "Who controls the would be king?"**

" **I am a king!" Qrow yelled.**

"Any man who must say: "I am the king" is no true king." Salem shook her head.

"Not to mention he screamed it at the top of his lungs." Ozpin cleaned out his ears.

"Whiny little bitch." Raven scoffed.

" **Not here!" Raven yelled back, "You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream! You come home."**

 **Qrow looked into Raven's eyes before laughing, "I don't have it."**

 **Raven clenched her teeth and called her sword to her hand.**

"Whoa." Raven became interested, "Now that was cool."

"Ren." Nora shook him violently.

"No." Ren said despite being shook.

"But Reeeeeeeeeen!" Nora whined.

"Nora." Pyrrha chimed in, "If we gave you that ability your hammer would be flying all over the school."

Glynda had a migraine forming just from the thought of that.

" **You need the Cube to bring me home." Qrow taunted, "But I've sent it off, I know not where."**

" **You listen well brother." Raven pointed her sword at him, "I…" Ruby tackled Raven into the forest below.**

" **I'm listening." Qrow waited for her to finish her sentence.**

"You smartass." Raven scoffed.

"SHHH!" Ruby hissed, "Fighting's about to start!"

 **Raven rolled on the hard earth while Ruby landed gracefully on her feet. Raven stood up with a glare and Ruby opened her helmet to see her.**

" **Do not touch me again." Raven declared.**

" **Then don't take my stuff." Ruby said.**

"What are you five?" Weiss scoffed.

"It's a valid argument." Nora defended Ruby, "Steal from me I tackle you off a mountain."

"Not quite the message…" Ozpin sighed.

"Well I agree." Salem nodded.

" **You have no idea what you're dealing with." Raven said.**

 **Ruby looked around, "Shakespeare in the park? Doth mother know you wear-eth her drapes?"**

"You finally joined the caped club!" Summer cheered and wrapped her arms around Raven.

Raven blushed furiously but said nothing. Ruby joined in making Raven turn more red. Qrow joined in and Raven just glared at him.

" **This is beyond you Metal Woman." Raven's tone was decreasing with every word, "Qrow will face Asgardian justice."**

" **He gives up the Cube he's all yours." Ruby closed her helmet, "Until then, stay out of the way. Tourist."**

 **Raven threw her sword handle first at Ruby chest. She went through a tree and landed flat on her back. Her HUD flickered and showed which plates in her chest were damaged.**

" **Okay." Ruby twitched.**

 **Raven recalled her sword and opened a portal when Ruby fired a blast into her chest knocking her into a tree. Ruby launched herself into the air and kicked Raven through said tree. Raven recalled her sword once again, this time a pink fire came from her eyes as she called down a lightning strike. It charged her sword and she redirected the full blast directly at Ruby.**

Cinder, Salem, Qrow, and Ozpin spit out their drinks at the action.

" **Power at 400% capacity." Ren informed her once the lightning died down.**

" **How about that?" Ruby smirked as she read the 475% on her HUD.**

 **She fired a combined assault with both hand repulsers and her chest piece. Raven was launched back, but she recovered and landed in a fighting stance. Ruby dropped into one herself.**

"I think you just pissed her off." Yang warned interested in her mother's fighting style.

"Im ready for her." Ruby vibrated anticipating to see the other weapons hidden in her suit.

"Confident are we?" Raven raised an eyebrow, "Let's see how far that gets you."

 **The two leapt into the air. Ruby used her thrusters and tackled her through some trees into the mountain side. She dragged Raven's face along the rough terrain before Raven kicked off the mountain and the two began to fall back into the forest. Raven dropped her sword as the two crashed back to earth.**

 **Raven had the upper hand with her Asgardian heritage. She punched Ruby's helmet. Ruby tried to throw one back, but Raven grabbed her forearm. She tried again, but Raven caught her fist. Raven began to crush Ruby's armor with her bare hand. Ruby frantically scanned her HUD as the armor was giving out. She opened her hand and fired a repulser blast directly in Raven's face. Ruby head-butted Raven, it did nothing. Raven head-butted Ruby and sent her flying back. Ruby recovered and flew at Raven again, she grabbed her by her cape and threw her into one of the fallen trees.**

"Not bad." Raven nodded with approval, "Not bad at all."

"Come on Ruby!" Yang cheered her along, "Beat that bitch down!"

"Excuse me?" Raven snipped.

"Well you are." Qrow shrugged.

 **Ruby ran up with her fist swinging. Raven ducked under the first swing and punched her kidney dropping her to one knee. Raven elbowed her neck bringing her to all fours. Raven picked her up and slammed her onto her back. Raven recalled her sword and was about to impale Ruby, when she activated her thrusters and went between Raven's legs dropping her to her face. She came flying in with a punch and opened her wrist weapons when a shield bounced off the two of them.**

" **Hey!" Jaune caught his shield, "That's enough!" He dropped to meet them, "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here."**

"And our Fearless-Leader joins the fight!" Nora announced.

Pyrrha perked up and awaited what the training in this world brought.

" **I've come here to put an end to Qrow's schemes." Raven declared.**

" **Then prove it." Jaune ordered, "Put that sword down."**

" **Yeah…" Ruby shook her head, "No. Bad call. She loves her sword."**

 **Raven used the blunt edge to knock Ruby back into the trees.**

" **YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE KATANA DOWN?!" Raven's eyes lit up with pink fire and she jumped into the air, charged it with lightning, and was about to strike when Jaune raised his shield. The resulting explosion leveled the remaining trees.**

"What is that thing made of?!" Weiss gasped.

"I have no idea…" Pyrrha gasped feeling the energies come out of the screen, "Jaune only told us it was a family heirloom. Old school."

"How old though?" Salem asked, "If its Old Kingdom forging then it's probably the strongest metal on Remnant."

" **Are we done here?" Jaune asked as they all dragged themselves from the dirt.**

 **Qrow was being escorted through the hellicarrier. The escort led him past a window into the lab where Oscar was working. He smiled viciously as the two made eye contact. Oscar rubbed his eyes before returning to work. Qrow was put into a round glass cell.**

"WAIT!" Weiss jumped up, "Why didn't he run away while they were all fighting?"

"What do you mean?" Qrow asked.

"Seriously?" Winter deadpanned, "While they wasted time fighting you could've easily run away."

"Well then it has to be part of his plan then." Qrow said.

"Then they just made the biggest mistake and brought him right to their headquarters." Ironwood sighed.

" **In case it's unclear." Junior pressed a button on a nearby console, "If you try to escape, if you so much as scratch that glass…" the floor opened revealing the night sky, "It's 30,000 feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" He closed the floor. "Ant." He pointed at Qrow, "Boot." He pointed at the console.**

 **Qrow began laughing, "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."**

" **Built for something a lot stronger than you." Junior said.**

"Oh yeah, he's definitely not letting Oscar go." Adam chuckled.

"You are a fool if you believed he would." Salem shook her head.

" **Oh, I've heard." Qrow smirked looking at the camera where Emerald was watching, "A mindless beast. Makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call on such lost creatures to defend you?"**

" **How desperate am I?" Junior asked, "You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace, and you kill because it's fun. You have made me VERY desperate. You might not be glad that you did."**

" **Oooh." Qrow mocked, "It burns you to have come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share? And then to be reminded what real power is."**

 **Junior twitched before walking away, "Well, let me know if "real power" wants a magazine or something."**

"Oh, he sees right through you." Ironwood chuckled, "He could be a little less…just less! With his speeches though."

"This is probably most talking I've ever done sober." Qrow admitted.

"That's not a good thing Uncle Qrow." Ruby said.

" **He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Oscar laughed as the video closed.**

" **Qrow's gonna drag this out." Jaune sighed, "So, Raven, what's his play?"**

" **He commands an army." Raven said, "Called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard, nor any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him Remnant. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."**

" **An army from outer space." Jaune looked at everyone else.**

"At least I'm not the only one who finds this whole thing ridiculous." Weiss sighed.

"You need to open your mind to the possibilities." Yang poked Weiss' cheek.

Weiss swatted her away, "Space adventures? Alien armies? Next universe you'll tell me Pyrrha is an ACTUAL goddess!"

Yang shrugged, "Maybe. The possibilities are infinite!"

" **So," Oscar took off his glasses, "He's building another portal. That's what he needs Dr. Merlot for."**

" **Merlot?" Raven asked.**

" **He's an astrophysicist." Oscar said.**

" **He's a friend." Raven corrected.**

" **Qrow as him under some kind of spell." Emerald spoke up, "Along with one of ours."**

" **I wanna know why Qrow let us take him." Jaune spoke up, "He's not leading an army from here."**

" **I don't think we should be focusing on Qrow." Oscar said, "That guy's brain is a bag full of cats. You could smell the crazy on him."**

" **Have care how you speak." Raven demanded, "Qrow is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he is my brother."**

Qrow and Raven both blinked at that. They glanced at each other then awkwardly went back to the movie.

" **He killed eighty people in two days." Emerald said.**

" **He's adopted." Raven shrugged.**

" **I think it's about the mechanics." Oscar chimed in, "Iridium. That do they need the Iridium for?"**

" **It's a stabilizing agent." Ruby said walking in with Neptune, "I'm just saying, pick a weekend. I'll fly you to Mistral, keep the love alive." Neptune smiled and walked off, "It means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D. No hard feelings, Spring. You got a mean swing." Ruby tapped Raven's arm, "Also, it means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Qrow wants." Ruby stood in the middle of the command deck, "Raise the mizzenmast. Jib the topsails." The crew stopped what they were doing and just stared at her, "That man is playing** _ **Grimm Eclipse!**_ **He thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." Ruby covered her left eye, "How does Junior even see these?"**

"I hate that stupid base level." Nora groaned, "Anyone else notice the volume went absolutely crazy in that level?"

"Right?!" the boys, minus Ren, yelled.

"For some reason the trap sound effects also made you deaf!" Adam yelled.

"You play video games?" Sun asked.

"What?" Adam asked.

"Nothing!" Sun defended, "I just figured you had your head too far up your ass to enjoy something like video games."

" **He turns." Melanie answered.**

" **Sounds exhausting." Ruby began pressing random buttons on the screen, "The rest of the raw materials, Agent Fall can get her hands on pretty easily. Only major component he needs is a power source of high-energy density." Ruby planted a bug under one of the consoles, "Something to kickstart the Cube."**

"You know I'm really starting to like this version of you Red." Roman smiled.

"I agree." Ironwood nodded, "Maybe not for the reasons HE'S thinking of but not trusting someone obviously hiding something is something I can get behind."

"No that's pretty much my reasoning." Roman thought it over, "I don't trust people in general, but spies I actively try to avoid."

"Wait." Qrow thought it over, "Does that mean you didn't like her before?"

"Not THIS one no." Ironwood admitted, "She seems like too much of a wildcard."

"I dunno." Yang said, "She'd be real fun at parties."

" **When did you become an expert on thermonuclear astrophysics?" Melanie asked.**

" **Last night." Ruby answered, "The packet, Merlot's notes, the extraction theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?"**

"Me for every test ever." Pyrrha blushed.

"Thank the gods I'm not the only one." Sun chuckled.

" **Does Qrow need any particular kind of power source?" Jaune asked.**

" **He'd have to heat the Cube to 120-million kelvin just to break through the Coulomb Barrier." Oscar objected.**

" **Unless Merlot has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect." Ruby saw Oscar and raised him.**

" **Well." Oscar smirked at Ruby, "If he could do that, he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet."**

" **Finally, someone who speaks English." Ruby sighed.**

" **Is that what just happened?" Jaune asked as the entire conversation went over his head.**

"I'm with Jaune." Nora said.

"Same." Said almost everyone.

"What?" Ironwood asked, "That was incredibly easy to follow."

"Maybe for us." Oobleck said.

" **It's good to meet you Dr. Pine." Ruby shook his hand, "Your work on antielectron collisions is unparalleled, and I am a huge fan of how you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."**

" **Thanks." Oscar was conflicted on what to feel at that moment.**

"Your subtlety is still the same." Weiss said.

Ruby stuck her tongue out at Weiss. Her response was to take Ruby's bucket of cookies.

" **Dr. Pine is only here to track the Cube." Junior stepped in, "I was hoping you could join him."**

" **You should start with that stick of his." Jaune said, "It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a Black Fang weapon."**

" **I don't know about that." Junior shook his head, "But it is powered by the Cube. And I would like to know how Qrow used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."**

" **Monkeys?" Raven asked, "I do not understand."**

" **I do!" Jaune pointed at them, "I understood that reference."**

 **Ruby rolled her eyes and turned to Oscar, "Shall we play doctor?"**

" **This way ma'am." Oscar led Ruby to the lab.**

 **One crew member shifted in his seat and watched them walk away. He pressed a button and the game resumed.**

"Oh!" Sun leaned forward, "Who's his main?"

 **Meanwhile in the lab Oscar was going over Qrow's scepter.**

"Awe I wanted to know." Sun slumped back disappointed.

" **The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Merlot's reports of the Tesseract." Oscar scanned the scepter, "But it's going to take weeks to process."**

" **We bypass their mainframe…" Ruby fiddled with her own computer, "And direct a route to the homer cluster, we can clock this at around 600 teraflops."**

" **All I packed was a toothbrush." Oscar joked.**

 **Ruby laughed, "You know you should come by Rose Tower sometime. Top ten floors, all R &D. You'd love it. It's **_**Candy Land.**_ **"**

" **Thanks." Oscar smiled, "But the last time I was in Vale I sorta broke…Harlem."**

" **Well, I promise a stress-free environment. No tension. No surprises." Ruby jabbed him with a tiny taser.**

" **OW!" Oscar jumped and Ruby stared into his eyes.**

" **HEY!" Jaune yelled.**

" **Nothing?" Ruby asked ignoring Jaune.**

" **Are you nuts?" Jaune asked.**

" **Jury's out." Ruby glanced at Jaune then back to Oscar, "You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz, bongo drums, huge bag of weed?"**

Neo and Roman leaned into each other and started snickering. Emerald smelt something very familiar in the air then joined them. When she sat back down next Mercury, she stole his popcorn.

"What's that smell?" Ruby asked.

"Don't worry about it." Yang's eyes were red and glossed over.

" **Is everything a joke to you?" Jaune asked.**

" **Funny things are." Ruby played with the taser.**

" **Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny." Jaune declared, "No offense doc."**

" **It's alright." Oscar dismissed, "I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle zappy things."**

" **You're tip-toeing big man." Ruby walked around the lab, "You need to strut."**

" **And you need to focus on the problem Miss. Rose." Jaune ordered.**

" **Do you think I'm not?" Ruby asked, "Why did Junior call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."**

" **You think Junior's hiding something?" Jaune asked.**

" **He's a spy." Ruby explained, "Captain, he's THE spy. His secrets have secrets. It's bugging him, too." She pointed to Oscar, "Isn't it?"**

" **Uhhhhh…" Oscar looked around, "I just wanna finish my work here…"**

" **Doctor?" Jaune interrupted.**

 **Oscar went silent, "A warm light for all of mankind." Qrow's jab at Junior about the Cube." Jaune nodded, "Well I think that was meant for you." Oscar pointed at Ruby and she held out a bag of cookies. "Even if Cinder didn't tell Qrow about the tower, it was all over the news." He shrugged taking a cookie.**

" **The Rose Tower?" Jaune chuckled, "That big, ugly…" Ruby shot him a glare, "Building in Vale?"**

" **It's powered by an arc-reactor." Oscar continued, "A self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for, what, a year?"**

" **It's just the prototype." Ruby shrugged, "I'm kinda the only name in clean energy right now. That's what he's getting at."**

" **So…" Oscar asked, "Why didn't S.H.E.I.L.D. bring him in on the Tesseract project? What are they doing in the energy business in the first place?"**

" **I should probably look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of S.H.E.I.L.D.'s secure files." Ruby pulled out a pocket scroll.**

" **I'm sorry." Jaune shook his head, "Did you say?"**

" **Ren has been running it since I hit the bridge." Ruby put away her scroll, "In a few hours, I'll know every dirty secret S.H.E.I.L.D. has ever tried to hide. Chocolate-Chip?"**

" **Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around." Jaune deadpanned.**

" **An intelligence organization that fears intelligence?" Ruby asked, "Historically, not awesome."**

" **I think Qrow's trying to wind us up." Jaune injected, "This is a man who means to start a war and if we don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders. We should follow them."**

" **Following's not really my style," Ruby shook her head.**

" **And you're all about style, aren't you?" Jaune asked.**

" **Of the people in the room which is, A, wearing a spangly outfit, and, B, not of use?" Ruby asked smirking.**

" **Jaune." Oscar whispered, "Tell me none of this smells a little funky to you."**

 **Jaune looked at both of them before storming off, "Just find the Cube."**

"At least he's not as dense as ours." Cinder nodded.

Pyrrha tightened her fist, "I don't like this. Oscar is right, this smells all kinds of wrong. Like a bad wound."

Ironwood was taken back by the analogy, "I don't approve of her methods, but this version of Ruby is right."

" **That's the guy my mom never shut up about?" Ruby asked, "I'm wondering if they should've kept him on ice."**

" **The guy's not wrong about Qrow." Oscar was on a different console now, "He does have the jump on us."**

" **What he's got is an** _ **Acme**_ **dynamite kit." Ruby joined Oscar, "It's going to blow up in his face. And I'm gonna be there when it does."**

Ruby started giggling uncontrollably, "Uncle Qrow is _Wile E. Coyote_!"

"Meep! Meep!" Weiss bounced before using a glyph to run away. Ruby used her semblance to chase after her.

"This is better than the movie!" Yang burst into laughter as Ruby used an over sized mallet to try and crush Weiss.

" **Yeah?" Oscar asked, "I'll read all about it."**

" **Uh-huh." Ruby nodded, "Or you'll be suiting up with the rest of us."**

 **Oscar scoffed, "Well you see, I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed. Like a nerve. It's a nightmare."**

" **You know." Ruby sighed, "I've got a cluster of shrapnel trying every second to crawl its way into my heart. This stops it." She tapped the arc-reactor in her chest, "This little circle of light is a part of me now, not just armor. It's a terrible privilege."**

The mallet slipped from Ruby's grasp, her and Weiss stopped dead in their tracks. Summer ran to her daughter who was trembling like a leaf. What happened to her daughter for her to have a reactor inserted into her chest?

" **But you can control it." Oscar pointed out.**

" **Because I learned how." Ruby said.**

" **It's different." Oscar shook his head and went back to work.**

" **Hey." Ruby minimized all the screens, "I read all about your accident. That much gamma exposure should've killed you."**

" **So, you're saying Ozpin saved my life?" Oscar asked with a mocking tone, "That's nice. It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what?"**

" **I guess we'll find out." Ruby stepped away.**

" **You may not enjoy that." Oscar said returning to work.**

" **And you just might." Ruby smiled.**

 **Meanwhile in the lower parts of the ship, Jaune was trying to break into a secure storage part of the ship.**

"That's bolted through dude." Qrow scoffed watching him try to open the door.

 **The door snapped and Jaune pushed the door out of the way.**

Qrow began to choke on his drink.

"Enjoying the view?" Coco leaned over to Pyrrha.

"Coco…" Velvet sighed.

"Whatever do you mean Coco?" Pyrrha asked.

"Oh I dunno." Coco shrugged, "If those muscles could open a reinforced steel door, what could they do to you?"

"Coco!" Velvet pulled her back when Pyrrha turned darker than her hair.

 **Jaune looked around before stepping inside. He jumped to the second floor when he heard agent talking in the distance.**

 **In a truck across town Dr. Merlot was dropping the Iridium into its new home.**

" **As soon as Qrow took Dr. Merlot." Neptune explained, "We moved, John Foster. They've got an excellent observatory in Tromso. He was asked to consult there very suddenly yesterday. Handsome fee, private plane, very remote. He'll be safe."**

" **Thank you." Raven nodded, "It's no accident, Qrow taking Merlot. I dread what he plans for him once he's done. Merlot is a good man."**

"Who?" Taiyang and Yang turned to Raven.

"Hey…" Raven felt more eyes turning on her, "Hey! HEY! This isn't the real me! Calm down!"

The two of them slowly turned back to their seats.

" **He talks about you a lot." Neptune said, "You changed his life. You changed everything around here."**

" **They were better as they were." Raven shook her head, "We pretend on Asgard that we're more advanced, but we come here, battling like bilge snipe."**

" **Like what?" Neptune asked.**

" **Bilge Snipe." Raven repeated, "You know, huge, scaly, big antlers. You don't have those?"**

" **I don't think so…" Neptune shook his head.**

"Write that down." Salem whispered to Dr. Watts.

"Uhhh…" Ozpin turned to Glynda.

"Already on it." Glynda was writing down the Bilge Snipe.

" **Well they are repulsive." Raven gagged, "And they trample everything in their path." Raven looked out the window into the night sky, "When I first came to Remnant. Qrow's rage followed me here, and your people paid the price. And now, again. In my youth, I courted war."**

" **War hasn't started yet." Junior said standing on the stairs next to Raven, "You think you could make Qrow tell us where the Tesseract is?"**

" **I don't know…" Raven shook her head, "Qrow's mind is far afield. It's not just power he craves, it's vengeance, upon me. There's no pain would prise his need from him."**

" **A lot of guys think that." Junior began down the stairs, "Until the pain starts."**

" **What are you asking me to do?" Raven paled at what might come out of Junior's mouth.**

" **I'm asking: what are you prepared to do?" Junior leaned into her face.**

" **Qrow is a prisoner." Raven leaned forward.**

" **Then why do I feel like he's the only person on this boat that want's to be here?" Junior snapped.**

"If you knew his plan why did you bring him here?!" Weiss shrieked.

"They couldn't exactly leave him on the mountain." Ren said.

"Why no take him somewhere else then?" Neptune asked.

"Plus, it wouldn't be much of a movie if it made sense Weiss." Yang tried to calm her down.

 **Qrow was pacing around his cell, he stopped and smiled.**

" **There's not many people that can sneak up on me." Qrow chuckled.**

" **But you figured I'd come." Emerald sat in front of his cell.**

" **After." Qrow said, "After whatever tortures Junior can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm, and I would cooperate."**

" **I want to know what you've done to Agent Fall." Emerald growled.**

" **I would say: "I've expanded her mind." Qrow mocked.**

" **Once you've won…" Emerald began, "Once you're king of the mountain, what happens to her mind?"**

 **Qrow raised an eyebrow, "Is this love Agent Sustari?"**

Emerald snapped out of her daze and began blushing up a storm. Mercury used this time to take back his popcorn and laugh at Emerald. Cinder raised an eyebrow at her.

" **Love is for children." Emerald scoffed, "I owe her a debt."**

 **Qrow walked backward to his bed, "Tell me."**

" **Before I worked for S.H.E.I.L.D…" Emerald struggled to get the words out, "I, uh…well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care what I used it for, or on. I got on S.H.E.I.L.D.'s radar in a bad way. Agent Fall was sent to kill me. She made a different call."**

" **And what would you do if I vowed to spare her?" Qrow asked.**

" **Not let you out." Emerald shook her head.**

" **No, but I like this!" Qrow leaned forward, "Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one woman."**

" **Regimes fall every day." Emerald shook her head, "I tend not to weep over them. I'm Mistrailian. Or I was."**

" **And what are you now?" Qrow asked.**

" **It's really not that complicated." Emerald stood up, "I got red in my ledger, and I'd like to wipe it out."**

" **Can you?" Qrow asked, "Can you wipe out that much red? Dreykov's daughter, Sao Paulo, the hospital fire?" Emerald was beginning to shake, "Cinder told me everything. Your ledger is dripping. It's gushing red, and you think saving a woman no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child's prayer. PATHETIC! You lie and kill…" Ruby and Oscar were both trying to break into S.H.E.I.L.D.'s files, "In the service of liars and killers…" Junior watched as monitors began reporting viruses and unauthorized access. "You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors." Jaune opened another case with another Blake Fang uniform inside of it. "But it's a part of you and it'll never go away." She slammed his fists on the glass, "I won't touch Cinder, not until I make her kill you. Slowly, intimately, in every way she knows you fear. And then she'll wake just long enough to see her good work, and when she screams, I'll split her skull. This is my bargain, you mewling quim."**

 **Emerald ran away from the glass, "You're a monster."**

" **Oh no." Qrow laughed, "You brought the monster."**

" **So." Emerald turned around with a straight face free of tears, "Oscar, that's your play."**

" **What?" Qrow was dumbstruck.**

" **Qrow means to unleash Ozpin. Keep Oscar in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Raven as well." Emerald spoke into her radio, "Thank you for your cooperation."**

"Wow…" Mercury nodded, "That was pretty cool."

"I'm impressed." Cinder approved.

"She is a spy." Salem pointed out, "She'd need to have some acting talent."

Emerald's blush was darkening the more praise she got.

 **Qrow watched still dumbfounded as Emerald walked away.**

" **What are you doing Miss. Rose?" Junior entered the lab.**

" **Kind been wondering the same thing about you," Ruby was sitting on the desk.**

" **You're supposed to be locating The Tesseract," Junior clarified.**

" **We are," Oscar nodded, "The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get a hit, you'll have a location within half a mile."**

" **Then you get your cube back," Ruby shrugged, "No muss, no fuss." The computer in front of her began beeping, "What is: "Phase Two?"**

 **Jaune slammed a Black Fang gun onto the table, "Phase Two is S.H.I.E.L.D. uses the cube to make weapons. Sorry, computer was moving a little slow for me."**

"This isn't going to end well." Ironwood shook his head.

" **Arc," Junior tried to explain, "We gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're making- "**

" **I'm sorry Junior," Ruby turned the computer around revealing blueprints of a missile, "What were you lying?"**

" **I was wrong Director," Jaune glared, "The world hasn't changed a bit."**

" **Did you know about this?" Oscar asked Emerald as she and Raven entered the lab.**

" **You want to think about Removing yourself from this environment Doctor?" Emerald wasn't really asking.**

" **I was in Vacuo," Oscar laughed, "I was pretty well removed."**

" **Qrow is manipulating you," Emerald stepped closer.**

" **And you've been doing what exactly?" Oscar asked.**

" **You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you," Emerald responded.**

" **Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy," Oscar grabbed the monitor, "I'd like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. Is using The Tesseract to make weapons of mass destruction."**

" **Because of her," Junior pointed at Raven.**

" **Me?" She asked.**

" **Last year," Junior explained, "Remnant had a Visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."**

" **My people want nothing but peace with your planet," Raven defended herself.**

" **But you're not the only people out there are you?" Junior snapped. "And you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, that can't be controlled."**

" **Like you controlled the cube?" Jaune asked.**

" **Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Qrow to it," Raven explained, "And his allies. It is a signal to all the realms that Remnant it ready for a higher form of war."**

" **A higher form?" Jaune asked.**

"Alien warfare." Sun nodded.

"Just because you say it more doesn't make it any less ridiculous." Weiss shook her head.

"Still denying it are we?" Yang sighed.

" **You forced our hand," Junior kept trying to justify his actions, "We had to come up with something."**

" **A nuclear deterrent," Ruby shook her head, "Because that always calms everything right down."**

" **Remind me again how you made your fortune Ruby," Junior turned to her.**

" **I'm sure if she still made weapons," Jaune stepped in, "Ruby would be neck-deep…"**

"I MAKE WEAPONS?!" Ruby cheered at the dream come true.

"Of course, you do." Yang chuckled.

"Does that mean you made that suit yourself?" Blake asked.

"I designed and forged Crescent Rose." Ruby said, "It would make sense."

"The mind is the most dangerous weapon there is." Oobleck said.

"Then Miss. Roses' must be the most terrifying weapon on Remnant." Port agreed.

" **Hold on," Ruby raised her hand, "How is this now about me?"**

" **I'm sorry isn't everything?" Jaune asked.**

" **I thought humans were more evolved than this," Raven spat.**

Every faunus in the theater, including Blake, Velvet, Ghira, and Kali all erupted with laughter. Even Salem joined in on the laughter.

" **Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Junior spat back.**

" **You treat your champions with such mistrust," Raven grew angry.**

" **You're not my champions." Junior said.**

" **Are you two really that naïve?" Emerald asked, "S.H.E.I.L.D. Monitors potential threats."**

" **Captain Vale is on a threat watch?" Oscar scoffed.**

" **We all are," Emerald answered.**

" **That is not your concern Doctor." Junior said.**

" **Wait," Ruby turned to Emerald, "You're on that list? You above or below angry bees?"**

" **Ruby," Jaune growled, "So help me God, if you make one more wisecrack…"**

" **Threat!" Ruby yelled, "Verbal threat. I feel threatened."**

" **Show some respect," Jaune demanded.**

" **Respect what?" Ruby scoffed.**

 **All off their arguing began to over lap. As Cinder was on a jet heading toward the hellicarrier.**

"I have returned." Cinder smirked as she sat up straight.

"Where am I?" Mercury pouted, "I wanna do something!"

"I'm sure you'll be here in time." Emerald cooed, "Just be patient."

"I hate waiting!" Mercury whined.

" **Transport Six-Six-Bravo," an agent on the carrier radioed, "Please relay confirm codes. I've got you on the computer, but not on the day logs. What is your haul? Over."**

" **Arms and ammunition," the jet responded, "Over."**

 **The men were dressing in S.H.E.I.L.D. Uniforms as Cinder extended her bow.**

" **You speak of control, yet you court chaos!" Raven yelled.**

" **That's his M.O., isn't it?" Oscar asked, "I mean, what are we? A team? No, we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're a time bomb."**

"Do we get to see Ozpin now?" Salem asked perking an eyebrow.

"I am also curious…" Ozpin leaned forward, "I want to know what I am like in this reality."

" **You need to step away," Junior ordered.**

" **Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Ruby put her hand on Jaune shoulder.**

" **You know damn well why back off!" Jaune slapped her hand away.**

" **I'm starting to want you to make me," Ruby growled.**

" **Yeah," Jaune began to circle Ruby, "Big girl in a suit of armor. Take that off what are you?"**

" **Genius, billionaire, playgirl, philanthropist," Ruby listed with a smirk.**

 **Emerald nodded.**

"It's like Weiss and Ruby switched places in this one." Blake said thinking over the list.

"Except for the playgirl part." Weiss objected.

"The beginning of the movie says otherwise." Yang smirked.

Weiss flicked Yang's forehead.

" **I know guys with none of that worth ten of you," Jaune glared, "I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and the other guy crawl over you."**

" **I think I would just cut the wire," Ruby shrugged.**

 **Jaune smiled venomously, "Always a way out. You know you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."**

" **A hero?" Ruby asked, "Like you? You're a laboratory experiment Arc. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."**

"This is getting heavy…" Nora was getting scared.

"One wrong move and they're going to tear each other's throats out." Pyrrha's eyes watched all of them argue with each other.

"If they could put their egos aside, they could stop this war before it begins." Ren sighed.

 **Cinder opened the cargo bay door. She readied an arrow with an explosive tip. She measured the wind and took aim. When she shot, the arrow was nowhere near the carrier. Until a gust of wind blew the arrow to the ship.**

" **Put on the suit," Jaune dared, "Let's go a few rounds."**

 **Raven laughed at them, "You people are so petty and tiny."**

"You're not that much taller than the rest of them." Qrow pointed out.

"Not the point Qrow." Raven rolled her eyes.

"Can you all just pull your heads out of your asses?" Neptune asked.

" **Yeah this is a team," Oscar laughed.**

" **Agent Sustari would you escort Dr. Pine back to his…" Junior began.**

" **Where?" Oscar asked, "You rented my room."**

" **The cell was just in case…" Junior tried to say.**

" **In case you needed to kill me," Oscar finished for him, "But you can't. I know. I've tried!" Nobody had a response for that, "I got low…I didn't see an end. So, I put a bullet in my mouth and Ozpin spit it out. So, I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good. Until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk. You want to know my secret Agent Sustari? You want to know how I stay calm?"**

 **Raven's fist clenched. Ruby back away. Jaune raised his hand. Junior and Emerald grabbed their guns.**

" **Dr. Pine," Jaune stepped forward, "Put down the scepter."**

 **Oscar looked down and saw Qrow's Scepter in his hand. He was snapped out of it when the computer started beeping. He dropped the scepter and walked over to it.**

" **Sorry kiddos," Oscar laughed, "You don't get to see my magic trick after all."**

" **You've located The Tesseract?" Raven asked.**

" **I could get there fastest," Ruby said.**

" **The Tesseract belongs on Asgard," Raven declared, "No human is a match for it."**

" **You're not going alone," Jaune grabbed Ruby's arm.**

" **You gonna stop me?" Ruby slapped his hand away.**

" **Put on the suit let's find out," Jaune got in her face.**

" **I'm not afraid to hit an old man," Ruby got in his.**

" **Put on the suit," Jaune ordered.**

" **Oh, my god…" Oscar gasped when he saw where The Tesseract was.**

 **Cinder pushed a button on her bow, detonating the arrow. Causing one of the turbines to fail. The fire went through the vents and into the lab. Oscar and Emerald were knocked through the glass onto the floor below. Jaune and Ruby were knocked into the doorway.**

" **Put on the suit." Jaune said.**

" **Yeah!" Ruby leapt to her feet.**

"Well at least they stopped arguing." Nora shrugged, "Now that their base is under attack hopefully, they can pull their heads out of their asses to defend it."

"Damn Nora." Pyrrha looked at her, "Tell us how you really feel."

"Well they're all friends!" Nora exclaimed, "Sure Ruby's a smart ass that doesn't mean you need to have boxing match with a two-ton robot!"

"Are you calling me fat?" Ruby asked.

"What?" Nora turned around, "Wh-What? N-No!"

Ruby winked.

"This reality is rubbing off on you…" Nora turned around and crossed her arms.

 **The crew up was running around the control room. While below the soldiers were running toward the armory and suiting up.**

" **Melanie?" Junior sat up.**

" **External detonation!" Melanie reported, "Turbine Three is down. Can we get it running?"**

" **Turbine looks mostly intact." An engineer reported, "But it's impossible to get out there and make repairs while we're in the air."**

" **We lose one more engine we won't be." Melanie returned to Junior, "Somebody's gotta get outside and patch that engine."**

" **Rose you copy that?" Junior asked.**

" **I'm on it." Ruby radioed.**

" **Neptune." Junior ordered, "Initiate defensive lockdown in the detention section, then get to the armory. Emerald?"**

 **Her leg was currently stuck under a broken pipe, "We're okay. We're okay, right?" she looked back at Oscar. He was currently grunting and contorting behind her.**

"Ozpin's trying to get out." Salem rubbed her hands together.

"Come on Oscar." Ruby said, "You've held him in this long. You can do it some more!"

"I don't think he'll be able to." Cinder said hoping to see Ozpin.

"Madam Buzzkill, are we?" Adam asked.

 **Cinder led a strike team into the Hellicarrier.**

" **Keep that engine down!" she ordered, "Detention, wait for cameras to go dark. Stay close." One man did as she began down the hall.**

 **In a different hallway, Jaune and Ruby were running together.**

" **Engine three." Ruby pointed at Jaune, "I'll meet you there."**

 **Jaune nodded and ran off. Ruby pulled out her scroll and a massive cargo container opened. Her suit was fully prepared and ready to go.**

"That is a huge container for just one suit." Weiss gasped.

"It probably does more than just hold the suit." Ruby guessed, "It probably reloads it, repairs it, takes it apart so I can step inside it."

"That actually makes sense." Weiss was taken back.

Ruby spit her tongue out at her again.

" **Doctor?" Emerald asked as she struggled to get free, "Oscar? You got to fight it. This is just what Qrow wants. We're going to be okay. Listen to me."**

" **Are you hurt?" a technician asked.**

 **Emerald waved for them to run away and they did just that.**

" **We're going to be okay, all right?" Emerald could hear Oscar groaning louder, "I swear on my life, I will get you out of this. You will walk away and never ever…"**

" **YOUR LIFE?!" Ozpin roared.**

 **Oscar fell back as his body shifted green, his hair turned white, and he began to grow in size. Emerald was now frantically trying to get her leg free. Oscar took one last look at her before his body burst out of his clothes. He punched a nearby tank and roared.**

" **Oscar?" Emerald whispered and Ozpin looked back at her.**

 **She wrenched her leg free and began running up the stairs. Ozpin tore the first flight of stairs off, while Emerald jumped to the second floor. While she ran, Ozpin was tearing the floor up trying to grab her. His roar echoed throughout the ship, Qrow looked up and smiled.**

"Oh no." Weiss deadpanned, "Whoever could have seen this coming?"

"You've been a lot more bitchy in this than all the others." Ilia groaned.

"Oh, I'm sorry but…" Weiss began.

"Aliens and Space Travel is ridiculous!" everyone shouted.

"Well." Weiss crossed her arms.

" **Bring the carrier about to a 1-8-0, heading south!" Junior ordered the crew, "Take us to the water!"**

" **We're flying blind." One of the men complained, "Navigation's recalibrating after the engine failure."**

" **Is the sun coming up?" Junior asked stepping closer to him.**

" **Yes sir." The man looked out the window.**

" **Then put it on the left!" Junior ordered, "Get us over water! One more turbine goes down and we drop."**

 **Jaune forced open a stuck door freeing the agents trapped on the other side. He ran to the edge of the twisted metal.**

" **Rose!" Jaune yelled, "Rose, I'm here!"**

" **Good." Ruby flew a head of him, "Let's see what we got. I got to get this superconducting coolant system back online before I can access the rotors…" Ruby's HUD scanned the parts of the hellicarrier in front of her, "And work on dislodging the debris." She forced the pipes back in place, "I need you to get to that control panel and tell me which relays are in over load position."**

 **While Jaune worked his way to the control panel, Ruby dislodged a piece of metal and flew into the ship. Jaune pulled out the control panel and had no idea what he was looking at.**

" **What's it look like in there?" Ruby asked.**

" **It seems to run on some form of electricity." Jaune stared at the panel.**

" **Well," Ruby sighed, "You're not wrong."**

"What did you expect from a man over one-hundred years old?" Ruby shook her head, "Come on other me!"

"That was a bit of a bonehead move." Ironwood agreed.

"She can't be in two places at once." Summer defended her daughter.

"You're telling me she can remotely control one of her suits to do what Captain Arc is doing?" Ironwood asked.

"Can you pilot a ship and remotely control another at the same time?" Summer snipped.

Ironwood was silent for a moment, "Fair enough."

 **Emerald was sneaking though the ship trying to avoid Ozpin. She heard heavy footsteps in the distance and went the other way. Ozpin roared when he spotted her, she shot a pipe above him, and took off in the other direction while the steam distracted him. Emerald carefully ran through corridors of glass and steel, but Ozpin charged right through them. Eventually he caught up to her and back handed her against the wall. He stepped closer to deliver the finishing blow when Raven tackled her through the wall.**

Raven suddenly perked up. Late at night when she stared at the roof of her tent alone in her bed, she'd fantasize about hurting Ozpin. This wasn't one of them, but it's a reality where she's about to fight Ozpin. She'll take what she can get.

 **Raven and Ozpin circled each other before Ozpin threw the first punch. Raven ducked and threw one of her one before they went back to circling each other. Ozpin delivered a hammer strike and Raven needed both hands to block it.**

" **We are not your enemies Pine!" Raven struggled to hold off Ozpin, "Try to think!" she pushed the fist back, until Ozpin's free hand punched her into crates of supplies.**

 **Ruby blasted her way through to the turbine and saw the giant piece of debris stuck.**

" **Okay the relays are intact!" Jaune radioed, "What's our next move?"**

" **Even if I cleared the rotors this thing won't reengage without a jump." Ruby stared at it, "I'm gonna have to get in there and push."**

" **If that thing gets up to speed, you'll get shredded!" Jaune yelled.**

" **That stator control unit can reverse the polarity long enough to disengage maglev and that could…" Ruby explained.**

" **SPEAK ENGLISH!" Jaune rolled his eyes.**

"Thank you!" Sun cheered.

 **Ruby bit her tongue, "You see that red lever? It'll slow the rotors down long enough for me to get out. Stand by it. Wait for my word."**

"Was that really so hard?" Nora asked Ruby.

"It was perfectly clear to me." Watts shrugged.

 **Jaune jumped across the empty sky and waited by the lever.**

 **Raven was thrown through another stack of steel boxes. Ozpin roared as Raven wiped a drop of blood from her nose. She smiled and extended her hand. Her sword ripped through the ship to her waiting hand. She flipped it around and smacked Ozpin with the blunt edge of her sword. He was sent flying backwards into a jet. He tore the wing off the jet and threw it at her. Raven slid on her knees as the wing flew past her and tore open a hummer. She threw her sword, Ozpin caught it, but he was not worthy. Ozpin went flying with it and the sword stuck into the floor. Ozpin's feet dug into the ground as he tried to pry the sword from the floor. Raven delivered a flying knee. She picked up her sword and held the blunt side to his neck. She grabbed the blade and tried to choke him out.**

Raven knew it wouldn't be a one-sided match, but she was enjoying the fact that she could hold her own against Ozpin. Granted he was as Ruby so eloquently put it, an: 'enormous-green-rage-monster.' While she was a Maiden with a magical sword, but again she'll take what she can get.

" **We need full evac on the hanger bay." Junior watched Raven and Ozpin fight.**

 **Melanie nodded and began to walk out when a small canister rolled in, "GRENADE!" she screamed as she tackled the nearest agent to the ground.**

 **The renegade agents used the explosion as cover and walked in. Junior hid close to the entrance, he grabbed the gun of one, struck his throat with his gun, shot the first one who entered, then flipped the one he was holding on his back. There was a third in the doorway, but Melanie shot him before he could shoot Junior.**

" **We've got a perimeter breach!" an agent spoke over the intercom as Neptune made his way to the armory, "Hostiles are in S.H.E.I.L.D. gear! Call-outs at every junction."**

 **Ozpin and Raven were back in the lab after bursting from the ground below.**

" **We have Ozpin and Raven on Research Level Four!" the intercoms announced, "Levels two and three are dark."**

" **Sir Ozpin will tear this place apart!" Melanie shouted.**

" **Get his attention." Junior ordered.**

" **Escort 6-0," Melanie called out, "Proceed to Wishbone and engage hostile. Don't get too close."**

" **Copy." The pilot confirmed. The jet flew in front of the lab then it changed engine positions to hover, "Target acquired. Target engaged." He began to fire, but the bullets bounced off Ozpin's flesh. He turned around and jumped at the jet. "Target angry! TARGET ANGRY!"**

"She said not to get too close." Yang threw her arms in the air.

"Yeah…" Nora sighed, "Not really the sharpest knife in the drawer, is he?"

"One of yours Jimmy?" Qrow smirked.

"Are you deaf or do you choose not to listen?" Ironwood groaned.

"When it comes to you." Qrow thought it over, "A little bit of both."

"Shouldn't have expected a different answer." Ironwood sighed.

 **Ozpin's fingers slid off the glass dome, but it didn't stop him from tearing up the rest of the jet. The pilot ejected, but Ozpin grabbed him and threw him in another direction. The jet exploded and Ozpin was sent back to earth.**

 **Ruby was cutting the debris in the rotor with a wrist mounted laser. Once there was a line right through it, she jumped into the air, and landed on it knocking it free. While she was there two rouge agents came out, one pulled the pin of a grenade and threw it, but Jaune jumped and kicked it away from the ship. He jumped down to him and knocked him out could. He kicked the rifle out of the hands of the second one, then threw him off the ship. There was a third one in the door way, Jaune threw a piece of metal at him, and used the distraction to jump to the floor above. He grabbed the rifle he kicked up there and shot at the one in the doorway while backing toward the lever.**

"Now that's a solider." Ironwood nodded.

 **Junior shot another one trying to get onto the bridge, "They're not getting through here, so what the hell…"**

 **On the opposite side of the room Cinder launched another exploding arrow. Only that one wasn't as big, and it didn't git anything vital. Her second arrow however hit a USB input then opened and inserted itself into two more USB inputs. Then power went out across the screens. On a different screen was: "EMERGENCY ENGINE ONE OFFLINE."**

"What kind of random ass arrows do you have?" Coco asked.

Cinder shrugged with a smiled on her face, "Whatever I need."

Emerald and Mercury looked at each other and shrugged.

" **Engine one is now in shut-down." The intercom agent reported, "We are in uncontrolled descent. Sir, we've lost all power in engine one."**

" **It's Fall." Junior radioed to everyone, "He took out our systems. He's headed for the detention level. Does anybody copy?"**

 **Still shaken from her encounter with Ozpin, once Emerald heard Cinder was there, she stopped shaking, "This is Agent Sustari. I copy."**

"Oh, this'll be good!" Mercury smiled awaiting the fight between them.

"For once I agree with you." Emerald nodded.

"Let's see what happens." Cinder smiled.

 **Ruby flew into the rotor and began to push it.**

" **Rose we're losing altitude!" Junior radioed.**

" **Yeah I noticed!" Ruby yelled back. Two additional mini thrusters came out of Ruby's calves. Jaune was still engaged with the rouge agent. The loss in altitude sent Jaune over the edge, he grabbed an exposed wire and held on for dear life.**

 **Raven ran to the detention level and saw the door to Qrow's cell opening.**

" **NO!" she screamed and tried to tackle him, but it was an illusion.**

" **Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Qrow asked as he watched her in the cage.**

"Gods be praised." Qrow chuckled going back to her childhood, "Nope."

"Oh, shut up." Raven glared.

"Did you really fall for that?" Yang looked back at them.

"Quiet you." Raven blushed.

"Aaaand any respect for you I had is gone." Summer giggled.

 **Cinder was walking down a hallway went she felt another presence behind her. She drew an arrow, but Emerald pushed it out of the way. She grabbed the bow and twisted it, Cinder elbowed her off and used the bow as a bat. Emerald dodged the swings and kicked Cinder in the face. She jumped down and used the railing as leverage to launch another kick to Cinder's face. Cinder fired another arrow, Emerald jumped to the other walkway, Cinder followed and began swinging her bow again. Emerald blocked her swings, so Cinder caught her fists behind the bowstring and pulled Emerald into the bow itself. She pushed Emerald against the railing, she backhanded Cinder way and took her bow away from her. Cinder drew a dagger from her waist.**

"Thankfully I'm not a one trick pony." Cinder released the breath she was holding, "Only being able to use one weapon type is a bore."

Ruby fidgeted in her seat.

 **Raven drove the tip of her sword into the glass wall, but the result shook the whole cell and knocked one of the restraints loose. Qrow began to laugh as he stepped over to the console and began playing with buttons.**

" **Humans think us immortal." Qrow smirked, "Should we test that?"**

 **Neptune knocked out the rouge agent that was helping Qrow, "Move away please." He said holding a monstrous black gun. Qrow did as commanded, "You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent the destroyer. Even I don't know what it does." The barrel of the 'gun' began to glow red, "Wanna find out?" Qrow's scepter went through Neptune's back.**

" **NO!" Raven screamed punching the glass.**

Weiss and Sun gasped at the sight. They had seen Neptune die before. But it never gets any easier seeing your friend die. Even if it's in another world.

 **The illusion of Qrow vanished as the real one withdrew the scepter. He walked back over to the console and opened the floor. He held his hand over the release button to tease that he might not do it, until he pressed the button and watched Raven fall out of the hellicarrier.**

"Sororicide?" Salem looked at Qrow, "I didn't think you had it in you."

"Still doesn't." Raven scoffed, "I'll break out of that cell. Should've stabbed me like you did the blue head."

"Got a point." Glynda nodded, "No body, not dead."

 **Cinder tried to stab Emerald, but she blocked every strike. She punched her and began to hyperextend her arm. So, Cinder threw the dagger in the air and caught it with her free hand. Cinder tried to stab again, but Emerald dodged and made an entanglement of limbs. Cinder grabbed her hair exposing her neck, so Emerald bit down on her forearm. She flipped in the air and slammed Cinder's head into the railing.**

" **Ow!" Cinder groaned looking up. The blue in her eyes was receding, "Emerald?" she asked, not taking any chances, Emerald knocked her out for good measure.**

"I enjoyed that fight." Cinder nodded, "Even though I lost that was pretty entertaining."

"Really?" Mercury asked, "I figured you'd be a sore loser about the whole thing."

Emerald was calm on the outside but giggling like a schoolgirl on the inside.

 **The cell was spinning around in the air, and Raven was doing the same. Finally, she a moment of stability, she launched her self at the glass she had cracked before and freed herself. Barely seconds before the cell crashed to a pile of rocks. She bounced across the ground and her sword was separated from her.**

 **Qrow began to walk away.**

" **You're going to lose." Neptune said.**

" **Am I?" Qrow asked turning around.**

" **It's in your nature." Neptune nodded.**

" **Your heroes are scattered." Qrow began, "Your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?"**

" **You lack conviction." Neptune said.**

" **I don't think I…" Qrow began but Neptune pulled the trigger and a concentrated beam of energy shot Qrow through the wall.**

" **So, that's what it does." Neptune chuckled weakly.**

"At least I did something before I died." Neptune smiled.

"Come on man." Sun shoved him, "You got to meet your crush at least."

Neptune grabbed a bar stool and started chasing Sun.

" **ALL HANDS TO CRASH STATIONS HANDS TO CRASH STATIONS IMMEDIATELY!" the agent over the intercoms said. While Junior watched the altitude reader rapidly fall. Ruby screamed as she pushed the rotor.**

" **Cap hit the lever!" Ruby had stabilized the hellicarrier.**

" **I NEED A MINUTE HERE!" Jaune was trying to climb back into the ship.**

" **Lever!" Ruby's HUD displayed the rotor picking back up to speed, "NOW!" the rotor began to move on its own and Ruby hit the back of one, "Uh-oh. HELP!" Ruby was getting tossed around the underside of the turbine. Jaune reached up and pulled the lever and Ruby was free. She stabilized herself and flew to Jaune. Where she tackled the man, who was shooting him as her suit powered down.**

"That cargo container is going to be working overtime." Nora examined the damage to the suit.

"My baby!" Ruby cried with anime tears.

Yang pinched the bridge of her nose. She was having flashbacks to whenever Crescent Rose got the slightest scratch.

"I see you Yang!" Ruby snapped, "You get the same way when someone messes with your hair!"

Yang blushed and went back to the movie.

 **Qrow got on his jet and escaped. Junior ran up to Neptune.**

" **Sorry boss." He said, "The god rabbited."**

" **Just stay awake." Junior ordered, "Eyes on me."**

" **No." Neptune shook his head, "I'm clocking out here."**

" **Not an option." Junior held Neptune's jaw.**

" **It's okay boss." Neptune's breathing was getting faster, "This was never gonna work if they didn't have something to…"**

 **Junior stepped back at let the medics do their work.**

" **Agent Vasilias is down." Junior radioed everyone.**

" **A medical team is on their way to your location." An agent said.**

" **They're here." Junior responded, "They called it."**

 **Ruby and Jaune were sitting around the table while Junior was standing at the head.**

"He knew." Pyrrha looked down, "He knew he wasn't going to make it out of there alive."

"It's our duty to give our lives for the sake of others." Ozpin said.

"I hate that fortune cookie bullshit." Adam grunted.

"Second." Ilia crossed her arms.

" **These were in Neptune's jacket, I guess he never did get you to sign them." He tossed the cards at Jaune, "We're dead in the air up here. Out communications, the location of the Cube, Oscar, Raven, I got nothing for you. I lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming. Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Ruby knows this, called the Inner Circle Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could be something more. To see if they could work together when we need them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Neptune died still believing in that idea. In heroes." Ruby got up and walked off, "Well, it's an old fashion notion."**

Ironwood scoffed, "That's not manipulative as FUCK."

"Wow…" Ghira gaped, "Just fucking wow."

"Are they really going to fall for that?" Kali asked.

"All signs point to yes." Salem sighed.

 **Raven found her sword in the ground. She hesitated, she didn't grab it just yet.**

" **You fell out of the sky." A security guard spoke to Oscar in a pile of rubble.**

" **Did I hurt anybody?" Oscar asked.**

" **Nobody around here to get hurt." He shrugged, "You did scare the hell out of some pigeons though."**

" **Lucky." Oscar sighed.**

" **Or just good aim." He said, "You were awake when you fell."**

" **You saw?" Oscar groaned.**

" **The whole thing." He nodded, "Right through the ceiling. Big and green and buck-ass nude. Here." He threw him some clothes, "Didn't think those would fit you until you shrunk down to a regular-size feller."**

" **Thank you." Oscar quickly got dressed.**

" **Are you an alien?" he asked.**

" **What?" Oscar climbed out of the rubble.**

" **From outer space an alien." He explained.**

" **No." Oscar shook his head.**

" **Well, then, son, you've got a condition." He nodded.**

"That's pretty funny." Weiss chuckled.

"Condition is one word for having another person occupy your body." Ozpin said.

"He could be an alien!" Sun jumped up.

"Shut up Sun." Wiess rolled her eyes.

 **Everything was blue and purple, Cinder shook her head trying to come back to reality.**

" **Cinder." Emerald was right next to her, "You're going to be alright."**

" **You know that?" Cinder chuckled, "Is that what you know? I got no window. I have to flush him out."**

" **You gotta level out." Emerald poured a glass of water, "It's gonna take time."**

" **You don't understand." Cinder sighed, "Have you ever had someone take your brain and play: "Pull you out and stuff something else in?" do you know what it's like to be unmade?"**

" **You know that I do." Emerald looked at her.**

"You sure it's not love?" Mercury asked.

"What happened to me I wonder." Emerald whispered under her breath.

Cinder raised an eyebrow, she was also curious as to what happened to Emerald in this universe.

" **Why am I back?" Cinder asked, "How'd you get him out?"**

" **Cognitive recalibration." Emerald sat on the bed with her, "I hit you really hard on the head."**

" **Thanks." Cinder smiled, "Emerald. How many agents did I?"**

" **Don't." Emerald undid the restraints, "Don't do that to yourself Cinder. This is Qrow. This is monsters and magic, and nothing we were ever trained for."**

" **Qrow, did he get away?" Cinder asked.**

" **I don't suppose you know where?" Emerald smiled.**

" **I didn't need to know." Cinder shook her head, "I didn't ask. He's gonna make his play soon though. Today."**

" **We got to stop him." Emerald said.**

" **Yeah?" Cinder scoffed, "Who's "We"?"**

" **I don't know." Emerald shrugged, "Whoever's left."**

" **Well." Cinder nodded, "If I put an arrow in Qrow's eye socket, I'd sleep better I suppose."**

"Is that how you solve all your problems?" Winter asked, "Put an arrow in their eye?"

"Have you met Cinder?" Mercury asked.

"It's the most effective way of solving all your problems." Cinder smiled.

"It really is." Salem agreed.

" **Now you sound like you." Emerald smiled.**

" **But you don't." Cinder looked at her, "You're a spy not a solider. Now you want to wade into a war? Why? What did Qrow do to you?"**

" **He didn't." Emerald shook her head, "I just…"**

" **Emerald." Cinder whispered.**

" **I've been compromised." Emerald said, "I got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out."**

"Can you?" Qrow asked.

Everyone glared at him while he just laughed at them.

"Oh, come on!" he defended himself, "That was too easy!"

 **Ruby was standing over the opening floor where Qrow's cell once was. Jaune walked in and leaned against the railing.**

" **Was he married?" he asked.**

" **No." Ruby shook her head, "There was a cellist I think."**

" **I'm sorry." Jaune sighed, "He seemed like a good man."**

" **He was an idiot." Ruby scoffed.**

" **Why?" Jaune asked, "For believing?"**

" **For taking on Qrow alone." Ruby began to pace.**

" **He was doing his job." Jaune said.**

" **He was out of he league." Ruby rolled her eyes, "He should have waited. He should have…"**

" **Sometimes there isn't a way out Ruby." Jaune approached her.**

" **Right I've heard that before." Ruby dismissed him.**

" **Is this the first time you lost a solider?" Jaune turned around as Ruby was trying to leave.**

" **We are not soldiers!" she turned and snapped, "I'm not marching to Junior's fife."**

" **Neither am I." Jaune said, "He's got the same blood on his hands that Qrow does. But right now, we got to put that behind us and get this done. Loki needs a power source. If he we can put together a list…"**

"He knows." Ironwood sighed, "He's lost people under his command. Before he went into the ice."

"How can he just brush it off like that?" Ruby asked.

"There's a bigger picture." Winter solemnly said, "We can mourn when the battle's done."

"But…" Ruby began but the look in Ironwood and Winter's eyes stopped her.

" **He made it personal." Ruby stared at Neptune's blood on the wall.**

" **That's not the point." Jaune sighed.**

" **That IS the point." Ruby said, "That's Qrow's point. He hit us all right where we live why?"**

" **To tear us apart." Jaune answered.**

" **Yeah." Ruby nodded, "Divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."**

" **Right." Jaune agreed, "I caught his act in Stuttgart."**

" **Yeah." Ruby shook her head, "That's just previews. This is opening night, and Qrow, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered…son-of-a-bitch."**

 **On the top of Rose Tower Dr. Merlot was setting everything up.**

"You know…" Salem thought it over, "If he actually followed through with his plan, he wouldn't have a lot of pissed off people coming after him."

"He's gotta feed the ego first." Raven laughed.

" **Time to go." Jaune enter the room with Emerald and Cinder.**

" **Go where?" Emerald asked.**

" **I'll explain on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?"**

" **I can." Cinder stepped out of the bathroom.**

" **You got a suit?" Jaune asked.**

" **Yeah." Cinder nodded.**

" **Then suit up." Jaune left the room.**

 **Raven drew her sword from the dirt, Jaune picked up his shield, Cinder had her quiver, Emerald had electrical gauntlets, and Ruby was repairing her suit. Raven pointed her sword at the sky, lightning struck her, and armor began to form around her. Ruby' suit was now functional, and Jaune was getting on a jet.**

" **You guys aren't authorized to be here." The mechanic said.**

" **Son." Jaune shook his head, "Just don't."**

Ironwood snorted, "That was funny."

" **Sir." Melanie stood next to Junior.**

" **Agent Malachite." Junior was shuffling the cards.**

" **Those cards." She watched, "They were in Neptune's locker not his jacket."**

" **They needed the push." Junior sighed.**

"Any low you won't stoop to?" Roman growled.

"I did say he was manipulative as FUCK." Ironwood shrugged.

"But there are some lines you just don't cross." Roman raised his voice, "I mean using the death of a friend to motivate them? That's just cruel even for them!"

" **We have an unauthorized departure from bay six!" the intercoms agent reported.**

 **Junior watched as Ruby and the jet took off.**

" **They found him." Junior gasped, "Get our communications back up, whatever you have to do. I want eyes on everything."**

" **Yes sir." Melanie went back to work.**

 **Ruby's suit was failing as she flew toward her tower. The Cube began to spin in place inside the generator. Once that began, the generator's top began to spin.**

" **Ma'am," Ren said, "I've turned off the arc reactor, but the device is already self-sustaining."**

" **Shut it down Dr. Merlot," Ruby demanded.**

" **It's too late!" Merlot yelled, "She can't stop now. She wants to show us something! A new universe."**

"She?" Ozpin glanced at Salem then back at the screen, "Who's she?"

"The one who controls the would be king." Raven recalled her speech from earlier.

"Are they just going to keep being vague?" Weiss asked.

"Wouldn't be much of a story if everything was explained to you." Yang said.

" **Okay," Ruby sighed and fired a repulser blast. A shield formed, absorbed the attack, and threw it right back at Ruby. The resulting force knocked Dr. Merlot into an air conditioner unit.**

" **The barrier is pure energy," Ren explained, "It's unbreachable."**

" **Yeah I got that," Ruby looked down to see Qrow on the balcony, "Plan B."**

" **Ma'am the Mark Seven is not ready for deployment," Ren warned.**

" **Then skip the spinning rims," Ruby ordered, "We're on the clock." Ruby landed and began the process of taking off her armor.**

" **Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity," Qrow mocked as she entered the building.**

" **Actually, I'm planning to threaten you," Ruby nodded from the top of the stairs.**

" **Should've left your armor on for that," Qrow smiled.**

" **Yeah," Ruby began down the stairs, "It's seen a bit of mileage and you've got the glow stick of destiny. Would you like a drink?"**

" **Stalling me won't change anything," Qrow shook his head.**

" **No, no, threatening." Ruby corrected, "No drink? Are you sure? I'm having one."**

" **The Chitauri are coming," Qrow looked out the window, "Nothing will change that. What have I to fear?"**

" **The Inner Circle," Ruby poured a glass. Qrow was confused. Ruby rolled her eyes, "It's what we call ourselves. We're sort of like a team. "Remnant's Mightiest Heroes" type thing."**

"Remnant's Mightiest Heroes?" Ironwood barely kept his composure.

"Maybe Avengers was the way to go." Glynda snickered.

"The names in this one are weird." Oobleck sighed.

"Not really one to talk Oobleck." Port said.

" **Yes," Qrow nodded, "I've met them."**

" **Yeah," Ruby chuckled, "Takes us a while to get any traction I'll give you that one. But, let's do a headcount here. Your sister, the demigoddess." Qrow turned his back on Ruby, she took the opening to put a bracelet on each wrist. "A super solider, a living legend, who kind of lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking anger-management issues. Two master assassins, and YOU big fella, have managed to piss off every single one of them."**

" **That was the plan." Qrow smirked.**

" **Not a great plan," Ruby drank, "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you."**

"The plan had a strong beginning." Salem nodded, "But he should've finished them off before coming here."

" **I have an army," Qrow was growing agitated.**

" **We have Ozpin," Ruby declared.**

" **I thought the beast had wondered off?" Qrow mocked.**

" **You're missing the point," Ruby shook her head, "There's no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect Remnant, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."**

" **How will your friends have time for me, when they'll be so busy fighting you?" Qrow tried to turn Ruby but the scepter hit her mini arc reactor in her chest. He tried and again and hit the tiny reactor. "This usually works."**

" **Well," Ruby shrugged, "Performance issues, it's not uncommon. One out of five…" Ruby was cut off when Qrow grabbed her throat and threw her on the ground. "Ren, anytime now."**

" **You will all fall before me!" Qrow picked her up by her throat.**

" **Deploy!" Ruby strained. "DEPLOY!" She screamed as she was thrown out the window. Qrow heard a noise behind him, he turned, and a red pill flew right through him out the window. It grew to laser pointers and locked onto Ruby's wrists. The pill opened and began to encase Ruby in a suit of armor twice as thick as the Mark Three she wore earlier. Right before she hit the ground, her thrusters powered up and she flew right back up to Qrow. "And there's one other person you pissed off. His name was Neptune." Qrow raised his scepter, but Ruby fired a repulser beam first.**

 **The generator reached its peak and a beam shot out into the sky. A hole opened and began to expand with hundreds, if not thousands, of Chitauri came rampaging out of it.**

Weiss was silent for the first time as the aliens poured out of the wormhole. The rest of the students were silent as the aliens shot everywhere as they flooded the streets.

" **Right." Ruby's current HUD was blue. Showing city locations and armor diagnostics quickly turned red. The Red HUD displayed three rocket bars, 97%, 97%, and 87%. Laser capacity was 831 out of 1100. Six bullet bars all read 97%. Her right eye had a power reading showing everything was being evenly distributed. Her left eye was given a crosshair. "Army."**

 **She flew into the air and began dodging alien blaster fire. She shot one out of the air with a repulser blast. One of the ships hit her, she quickly corrected her course, and continued to fire. Her shoulder pads opened, and misses came flying out hitting as many Chitauri as they could.**

Ruby began drooling at her new suit of armor.

"Went all out did you?" Weiss asked.

"I said skip the spinning rims," Ruby recalled, "Makes me wonder what I skipped."

"Probably ammo." Yang shrugged, "Considering nothing was one-hundred percent."

"Fair enough." Blake said.

 **On the ground everyone was gasping at the sight of aliens coming down and raining fire on them. Once they started shooting the cars however, the civilians quickly went for cover. Qrow went to the spot where Ruby lands to take off her armor, while he materialized his own.**

" **Qrow!" Raven landed on the floor below him, "Turn off the Tesseract or I'll destroy it."**

" **You can't!" Qrow declared, "You cannot stop it. Nothing can stop it. There is only the war."**

" **So be it." Raven prepared as Qrow jumped down to meet her in combat.**

 **She swung her sword and he blocked with the scepter. Qrow swung and missed, but then rested his scepter on his shoulders and fired at her. She deflected with her sword and brought it down to strike, Qrow blocked at the resulting blast knocked the "SE" off the tower.**

" **Rose we're on your three heading east." Emerald called from the jet.**

" **What?" Ruby yelled, "Did you stop for drive-through?! Swing up Park, I'll line them up for you."**

"Rude much?" Emerald scoffed.

"Have you not been paying attention the entire time?" Adam rolled his eyes.

 **A minigun came out of the bottom of the jet and began firing at the Chitauri that were chasing Ruby.**

"I like the jet." Coco smiled.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Velvet smiled.

Coco kissed her cheek and chuckled when she blushed.

" **Ma'am we have more incoming!" Ren reported.**

" **Fine." Ruby nodded, "Let's keep them occupied.**

" **Em?" Cinder leveled the jet above the spot where Qrow and Raven were fighting.**

" **I see him." Emerald began firing.**

 **Qrow threw Raven off and fired a bolt of energy from the scepter at the jet's wing. Raven tackled Qrow and the two began trading blows like an old fisticuffs match while the jet fell out of the sky. The three wasted no time running out of the jet.**

" **We need to get back up there!" Jaune led them back to the tower.**

 **They watched in horrified awe as a metallic serpent came out of the wormhole. More Chitauri soldiers were being launched from the serpent's belly. One crashed through an office window and began shooting civilians.**

" **Rose are you seeing this?" Jaune asked still staring at the serpent.**

" **Seeing." Ruby said, "Still working on believing…where's Oscar has he shown up yet?"**

"You are not the only one…" Weiss gaped.

"I know what I'm doing when I get home." Salem smiled.

" **Oscar?" Jaune asked.**

" **Just keep me posted." Ruby began scanning the serpent, "Ren, find me a soft spot."**

" **Look at this!" Raven forced Qrow to look at the burning city, "Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?!"**

" **It's too late." Qrow hissed, "It's too late to stop it."**

" **No." Raven shook her head, "We can, together."**

 **Qrow slipped a dagger into Raven's side, "Sentiment."**

"I was almost fooled for a second." Raven was taken back.

"This Qrow is really entertaining." Salem rubbed her hands together.

 **Raven punched him in the stomach, then picked him up, and threw him back on the ground. Qrow rolled off the edge and a Chitauri ship caught him. Raven yanked the dagger out and tossed it aside.**

"Reminds me of the time when we were kids." Raven giggled.

"You suplexed Uncle Qrow when you were kids?" Ruby asked.

"That's not a suplex." Yang pointed out.

"Just look at him." Raven gestured to Qrow, "He's so easy to throw around it's not even funny. Until you actually start throwing him, then it's fucking hilarious!"

" **We've got civilians trapped in there." Cinder pointed to a nearby building when Qrow zoomed past them with three more Chitauri ships following as they destroyed an entire patch of cars.**

" **There fish in a barrel down there." Jaune watched the cars explode.**

" **We got this." Emerald shot two Chitauri soldiers as more began to pile up, "It's good. Go."**

" **You sure you got this?" Jaune asked.**

" **Captain." Cinder pressed a specific order of buttons on her bow and loaded an arrow tip, "It would be my genuine pleasure." She fired her arrow and the arrow fired a circle of bullets killing two additional Chitauri.**

 **Jaune jumped down on a bus below and began to run as the bus was fired upon. Back on the bridge above, Emerald covered Cinder as she freed the civilians trapped inside. Once they were free Cinder joined Emerald.**

" **Just like Budapest all over again!" Emerald yelled over her gunfire.**

" **You and I remember Budapest very differently…" Cinder fired her arrows.**

"My oh my." Mercury smiled, "What happened in Budapest?"

"I am curious too." Cinder leaned forward.

Emerald was too busy blushing to come up with a response.

"I never thought a bow and arrow would be cool." Ruby examined Cinder's quiver, "But the different heads are awesome!"

"Don't you have different types of bullets?" Weiss asked.

"But none that shoot more bullets!" Ruby pouted.

 **On the ground below, the police were firing at the Chitauri, "It's going to be an hour before they can scramble the National Guard!"**

" **The National Guard?!" the captain yelled, "Does the army even know what's happening here?"**

" **Do we?" the cop asked.**

" **You need men in these buildings." Jaune said as he landed, "There are people inside and they're going to be running right into the line of fire. You take them to the basements or through the subway. You keep them off the streets. I need a perimeter as far back as 39** **th** **."**

" **Why the hell should I take orders from you?" the captain asked.**

 **Two Chitauri soldiers dropped down and without hesitation, Jaune sprang into action. He knocked them both down, the first one to get back up Jaune drove his shield into his skull. The second one, Jaune grabbed his gun, severed his arm, and knocked the body away.**

" **I need men in those buildings." The captain ordered his men, "Lead the people down and away from the streets. We're going to set up a perimeter all the way down to 39** **th** **Street."**

"You'd think a super solider landing from the sky and starts telling you what to do, you shut up and do it." Nora threw her arms up.

"She's not wrong." Ironwood nodded.

"But men are stubborn." Pyrrha shook her head, "And dense."

"Gee I wonder who she means." Coco snickers.

 **Ruby flew in front of the serpent and fired flares in its face. The massive creature turned around and carved its way through some buildings.**

" **Well…" Ruby gasped, "We got its attention. What the fuck was step two?" she took off in another direction with the serpent on her heels.**

"You really should plan things out more." Weiss sighed.

"Well what is your plan then?" Ruby crossed her arms.

"First is not to throw flares in his face and then run away!" Weiss snapped.

"Then?" Ruby leaned forward.

Weiss stammered before crossing her arms and pouted in her chair.

"That's what I thought." Ruby stuck her tongue out.

"Is that your go-to?" Blake asked.

"If it aint broke don't fix it." Ruby smiled.

 **Cinder swept the legs from one of the Chitauri and forced the arrow into its chest with her hands. Emerald was on the back of one of them driving her electric fist into its neck. Cinder was tackled to the ground. Emerald used one of Chituari rifles to shoot two of them while Cinder used her hands to drive another arrow into the chest of another. Jaune came flying in and took out three of them. More were coming up the road, until lightning struck them down, and Raven landed next to them.**

" **What's the story upstairs?" Jaune asked.**

" **The power surrounding the Cube is impenetrable." Raven explained.**

" **Raven's right we gotta deal with these guys!" Ruby radioed.**

" **How do we do this?" Emerald asked.**

" **As a team." Jaune said.**

" **I have unfinished business with Qrow." Raven snapped.**

" **Yeah?" Cinder was screwing on arrowheads, "Get in line."**

" **Save it." Jaune told both of them, "Qrow's going to keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Rose up top. He's going to need us to…" Jaune turned around to see Oscar on a motorcycle.**

" **So…" Oscar got off the bike, "This all seems horrible."**

" **I've seen worse." Emerald looked at him."**

" **Sorry." Oscar shrugged.**

" **No." Emerald shook her head, "We could use a little worse."**

" **Rose we got him." Jaune smiled.**

" **Oscar?" Ruby asked.**

" **Just like you said." Jaune nodded.**

" **Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." Ruby rounded the corner with the serpent on her heels.**

 **Raven readied her blade.**

" **I don't see how that's a party." Emerald gasped.**

 **Oscar began walking toward it.**

" **Dr. Pine." Jaune stepped up, "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."**

" **That my secret Cap." Oscar smiled, "I'm always angry."**

 **In the blink of an eye Oscar turned into Ozpin and he slammed his fist into the head or the serpent. The body crashed into itself and began to tilt upwards. When a tiny piece of flesh was exposed.**

"Isn't it a little convenient that he suddenly can control Ozpin?" Ilia asked.

"Well he's had Ozpin for a decent amount of time." Ghira said, "I think he's learned how to control him in that amount of time."

"Did he steal a motorcycle?" Yang asked.

"Pretty sure the security guard gave it to him." Kali said.

"That pretty generous for someone you don't even know." Emerald shook her head.

"To be fair that thing's a piece of junk." Yang examined the rusty bike.

" **Hold on!" a tiny missile shot out of Ruby's wrist and into the exposed flesh. Cinder ducked under and overturned cab, Jaune shielded Emerald, Raven covered her eyes, and the serpent exploded. The head slid off the bridge and crashed onto the street below. The Chitauri all began screeching at the sight. Ozpin roared in response as the Inner Circle stood in a circle staring at the rest of them.**

" **Send the rest." Qrow ordered.**

 **From the wormhole three more serpents came out all unloading Chitauri soldiers.**

"Oh, because that's fair!" Pyrrha objected.

"I mean did you really think the guy who stabs people in the back was going to be fight fair?" Salem asked.

"Horde of generic enemies seems like a pretty weak climax." Mercury said.

"Wanna bet?" Yang had a lien chip between her fingers.

"You're on." Mercury pulled out one of his own.

" **Guys…" Emerald watched them enter the sky.**

" **Call it Captain." Ruby said.**

" **All right listen up." Jaune thought of a plan, "Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Cinder, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything, calling out patterns and stays. Rose, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out you turn it back or you turn it to ash."**

"He's a natural leader." Ozpin smiled, "I knew I made the right choice."

"That's out fearless leader!" Nora cheered.

"No plan survives contact with the enemy." Salem crossed her arms, "Let's see how far his tactics get him."

The rest of them were silent, as much as they didn't want to agree with the Grimm Queen, she was right.

" **Can you give me lift?" Cinder asked.**

" **Better clench up Logolas." Ruby grabbed her shirt. Cinder clenched up as Ruby took her to the roof.**

" **Raven." Jaune resumed, "You got to try and bottle neck that portal. Slow them down, you're the Spring Maiden, light the bastards up."**

Ozpin and the school staff and the villains all spit out their drinks at that little reveal. Raven tried to vanish put found her powers stripped away. Ironwood looked over at her and she tried her best to turn invisible.

 **Raven opened a portal and vanished.**

" **You and me." He spoke to Emerald, "We stay down here on the ground. We keep the fighting here. Ozpin." He looked up at the green giant, "Smash."**

 **Ozpin smiled as he leapt into the air and began crushing Chitauri with his hands. He leapt to another building across the way and began to tear into the ones on that one. Then he jumped into the air and caught a ride with one of the Chitauri ships.**

"Don't really need any more motivation than that!" Nora cheered.

"Nora." Ren restrained her.

"Oh, I got one!" Raven turned to Ozpin, "Ozpin, don't fuck everything up!"

"Raven!" Qrow pushed her away.

"I agree with Spring." Salem snorted.

 **Raven's portal opened at the top of Beacon tower. She summoned a lightning storm and charged her sword and the tower. She aimed it at the portal and unleashed the rage of the skies at anything that came out of the portal. Two more serpents fell along with countless Chitauri soldiers, but they kept coming.**

" **Sir." Melanie approached, "The Council is on."**

 **Junior sighed and took their right right there.**

" **Rose." Cinder fired from her rooftop, "You got a lot of strays sniffing your tail."**

" **Just trying to keep them off the streets." Ruby flew around wildly.**

" **Well they can't bank worth a damn." Cinder fired an arrow without looking and destroyed another ship, "Find a tight corner."**

"Blablow!" Cinder cheered as she blew up alien spacships.

Mercury and Emerald looked at her wondering what the hell noise she just made.

"Shut up." Cinder scoffed.

" **I will roger that." Ruby acknowledged.**

 **Cinder fired an arrow that hit the connections between the two parts of the ship. It began to melt, and the two pieces flew right past Ruby. She stopped and shot them both before flying into a concrete tunnel. The Chitauri did their best to follow but wound up killing themselves on the corners.**

" **Nice call." Ruby narrowly escaped the explosions, "What else you got?"**

" **Raven's taking on a squadron down on Sixth." Cinder reported.**

" **And she didn't invite me?" Ruby asked making her way there.**

 **An entire office of people gasped as a serpent was flying toward them. They turned to run but saw Ozpin charging through their office. He jumped out the window, grabbed the serpent's tooth and forced it in another direction. The serpent's metallic fins broke a lot of glass but didn't kill anybody.**

"Is he really helping the situation?" Ironwood asked.

"Buildings can be rebuilt." Ozpin said, "But people can't be replaced."

"He's not wrong…for once." Raven rolled her eyes.

 **Emerald was forced onto a hood of a taxi cab and a Chitauri solider was about to end her. She dodged the spear and drove her electrified fist into its neck. She wrenched the spear from his grip and killed him with his own spear.**

" **Captain." She sighed, "None of this is going to mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal."**

" **Our biggest guns couldn't touch it." Jaune looked at the sky portal with her.**

" **Well maybe it's not about guns." Emerald tossed the spear aside.**

" **If you wanna get up there you're going to need a ride." Jaune watched more Chitauri jump on the bridge they were on.**

" **I got one." Emerald looked at the numerous ships flying around, "I could use a boost though."**

" **Are you sure about this?" Jaune asked.**

" **Yeah." Emerald nervously nodded, "It's gonna be fun." She jumped off the car and onto Jaune's shield. He used all of his strength to throw her into the air. Emerald kicked off one of the Chitauri and drove her daggers into the driver's shoulders. "Okay." She began 'piloting' "Turn! TURN! Less! LESS!"**

 **Ruby flew beside her and shot down any Chitauri that tried to shoot her. She knocked a few more down as she landed next to Jaune. She fired a beam at Jaune, and he used his shield to angle it in a way that cut down more of the Chitauri. Ruby took to the skies again clearing off a few soldiers that were climbing toward Cinder. Cinder fired an arrow at the pilot's head, and he crashed the ship onto a serpent that Ozpin and Raven were fighting on. Ozpin tore a piece of metal off the serpent's armor and drove it into its neck. Raven called another lightning strike on the exposed piece causing the serpent to crash into Grand Central Station. Raven and Ozpin had a second to catch their breath. Ozpin punched Raven into a wall and scoffed.**

"That's a cheap shot!" Raven stood up.

"Aww what's the matter?" Ozpin mocked, "Can't take a hit Raven?"

"Damn." Qrow looked at Raven.

She hissed and crossed her arms.

"Got nothing?" Ozpin smiled, "You were talking that good shit a second ago!"

Glynda pulled his ear back, "Reel it in Ozpin."

"Ow, ow, ow!" Ozpin struggled against her iron grip.

 **Dr. Merlot woke up on the roof and gasped at the sight before him. On the ground the National Guard finally showed up. Jaune was on the bridge forcing a Chitauri off of him.**

" **Captain." Cinder reported, "The bank on 42** **nd** **past Madison. They cornered a lot of civilians in there."**

" **I'm on it." Jaune picked up his shield.**

 **On the second floor of the bank three Chitauri soldiers were aiming at a crowd of civilians. One pulled out a grenade when Jaune rolled in. He threw his shield at the grenadier. The other two turned and began shoot at him. He ducked behind a desk and kicked it at them. One jumped over the desk, the other was crushed between the desk and the railing. The last one charged, Jaune ducked under his punches and snapped his neck.**

" **EVERYONE CLEAR OUT!" Jaune ordered.**

 **A fourth Chitauri came in and grabbed Jaune. He tore his helmet off as the grenadier got back to his feet. Jaune jumped behind the fourth Chitauri and used him as a shield from the grenadier's attack. The grenade started beeping rapidly. Jaune rolled to his shield, jumped into the air, and hid behind it as the explosion threw him out of the building. He landed on a car, thankfully the improved suit saved him from getting cut up. The police got everyone out while Jaune caught his breath.**

"Captain-Ball!" Pyrrha clapped.

Nora and Ruby burst into laughter and even Ren cracked a smile.

" **Director." The councilwoman, "The Council has made a decision."**

" **I recognize the Council had made a decision." Junior said, "But given that it's a stupid-ass decision, I've elected to ignore it."**

" **Director." The elderly man spoke, "You're closer than any of our subs. You scramble that jet…"**

" **That is the city of Vale, Councilman." Junior cut him off, "Until I'm certain my team can't hold it, I will not order a nuclear strike against a civilian population."**

" **If we don't hold them here, we lose everything." The Councilman said.**

" **I send that bird out we already have." Junior hung up.**

"Why in the hell do they have nukes?!" Ironwood spit out his drinks.

"They probably acquired them through confiscation or some other bullshit and are using them themselves." Glynda growled.

"This is why I don't trust spies!" Roman yelled, "Well it's one of the reasons."

" **Oh you…" Emerald looked back and saw Qrow chasing her, "Hawkeye!"**

 **Cinder looked at Emerald getting shot at by Qrow, "Em what are you doing?"**

" **A little help?" She asked narrowly avoiding the blasts.**

 **Cinder readied an arrow, "I got him."**

 **Cinder fired and Qrow caught the arrow. She looked at Cinder with a smirk. That's when Cinder detonated the arrowhead. The ship knocked off the 'R' and Qrow landed on the balcony. Emerald rolled off the ship and landed next to the generator. Ozpin jumped up and tackled Qrow through the window.**

"That quiver is seriously over-powered." Ruby watched the bottom of the quiver rotate the different heads on the arrow staffs.

"Like your suit isn't?" Cinder looked back at Ruby.

"Touché." Ruby sighed.

" **ENOUGH!" Qrow yelled, "You are, all of you beneath me! I am a GOD your dull creature. And I will not be bullied by…"**

 **Ozpin lifted Qrow by his feet and slammed him into the ground repeatedly.**

" **Puny God." Ozpin scoffed as he walked away.**

 **Qrow lay in the crater whimpering as he exhaled what little air he had left.**

Raven spit out her drink and began to roll around laughing uncontrollably. Winter and Ironwood soon joined in after. Then the rest of the theater roared with laughter.

"Payback for laughing at me in the Pirate Universe!" Ozpin was holding his sides.

"I wish I was the one who did that to you!" Winter was turning red and running out of breath.

"I would be mad, but that exhale while he was in the crater was priceless." Qrow was snorting trying to calm down.

" **The scepter." Dr. Merlot said, "Qrow's Scepter. The energy. The Tesseract can't fight, but you can't protect against yourself."**

" **It's not your fault." Emerald said, "You didn't know what you were doing."**

" **Actually, I think I did." Merlot said, "I built in a safety to cut their power source."**

" **Qrow's Scepter." Emerald understood.**

" **It may be able to close the portal." Merlot nodded, "And I'm looking right at it."**

"Perfect!" Velvet snapped a picture of Qrow's Scepter.

"If you start mind controlling people, you'll never leave detention until graduation." Glynda warned.

Velvet grew a vicious smile, "You can't put me in detention if you're under my spell."

"Bun-Bun has a darkside." Coco smiled.

"I like you." Salem smiled.

"It's a little convenient that Merlot built in a failsafe isn't it?" Sun said.

Weiss thought it over, "Yeah I got nothing."

 **Raven was beating down a ship when a serpent crashed through a building and knocked her out of the air. Ruby flew beside it and tried using her laser on it.**

" **Ma'am we will lose power before we penetrate that shell." Ren scanned the serpent.**

" **Ren?" Ruby asked as she flew in front of the serpent, "You ever hear the Tale of Jonah?"**

" **I wouldn't consider him a role model." Jarvis said as missiles were armed in Ruby's thighs.**

 **She flew directly into the serpent's mouth and explosions rocked the entire body. Ruby was flung out and crashed into a bus bench. As she tried to get up, she was ambushed by Chitauri soldiers.**

 **Cinder shot her last arrow at one. She reached back for another but felt nothing. She used her bladed-bow to disarm one and kicked him off the building. She pulled the arrow out of a body and returned it to the quiver where she switched heads. As the roof was destroyed, Cinder jumped off and fired the arrow head was a grappling hook that she used to send herself into a window below. Ozpin was crushing Chitauri with his bare hands when the ships above him surrounded him and began to fire.**

"The tide is turning." Salem watched with a smirk, "I told you they didn't stand a chance."

"You said no plan survives contact with the enemy." Nora pointed at her, "He'll just make up a new plan."

"We'll just see about that." Salem shook her head.

" **Director Xiong is no longer in command." The Councilwoman told a jet pilot, "Override order 7-Alpha-1-1."**

" **7-Alpha-1-1." The pilot confirmed, "Confirmed. We're go for takeoff."**

" **Sir we have a bird in motion!" Melanie yelled, "Anyone on the deck, we have a rouge bird! We need to shut it down! Repeat: TAKE OFF IS NOT AUTHORIZED!"**

 **Junior ran onto the deck with an RPG over his shoulder. He fired at the jet and it slid across the deck. Then Junior heard a noise, on the second deck another jet was taking off.**

 **Junior ran back into the carrier, "Ruby! Do you hear me?! You have a missile headed straight for the city."**

" **How long?" Ruby asked trying to drag herself up but was immediately kicked back down by the Chitauri.**

" **Three minutes max," Junior guessed. "The payload will wipe out Vale."**

" **Ren put everything we got into the thrusters!" Ruby ordered.**

" **I just did," Ren rerouted power.**

 **Ruby's hands, feet, and two more in her shoulders blew up as she freed herself from the Chitauri dog-pile. The jet fired the nuke.**

" **Package is sent." The pilot turned away, "Detonation in two-minutes and thirty-seconds on mark."**

"Come on Ruby!" Yang sat on the edge of her seat.

"Seriously?" Weiss said, "How are they perfectly fine with murdering a city full of people?"

"The greater good." Ironwood said.

"But not even Raven could break through the shield." Weiss reasoned, "If magic couldn't break it how is technology supposed to?"

 **Back in the city Jaune and Raven held out their hands. When his shield and her sword flew back into their palms. Both turned around and continued fighting. Jaune was shot down, Raven turned around and kicked a car at a bundle of Chitauri. She turned and sent a blade of lightning at another line of Chitauri.**

" **Are you ready for another bout?" Raven hefted Jaune up.**

" **What, you getting sleepy?" Jaune picked up his shield.**

 **Raven smiled and recalled her sword.**

 **On the roof Dr. Merlot was setting up his laptop. While Emerald had Qrow's scepter in her hands.**

" **Right at the crown!" Merlot ordered.**

 **Emerald pushed Qrow's scepter through the shield.**

" **I can close it." Emerald radioed, "Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down."**

" **Do it!" Jaune ordered.**

" **No!" Ruby yelled, "Wait!"**

" **Rose these things are still coming!" Jaune looked at the portal.**

" **I got a nuke coming in." Ruby explained, "It's gonna blow in less than a minute." Ruby passed the missile and turned around. She flew underneath it and held on. "I know just where to put it."**

" **Ruby." Jaune said, "You know that's a one-way trip."**

" **Save the rest for the turn Ren." Ruby tried to ignore Jaune.**

" **Ma'am." Even Ren's tone was softer, "Shall I try Miss. Schnee?"**

 **Ruby looked at her icon on her HUD, "May as well."**

"Why is everybody talking like that?!" Yang yelled, "She's going to come back from this!"

"Yang…" Summer took her hand.

"NO!" Yang pulled her hand away, "RUBY WILL MAKE IT OUT OF THIS ALIVE!"

The staff and older members of the audience glanced at each other.

 **In a jet labeled: "Rose Industries." Weiss was watching the news about the attack on Vale. Her phone was behind her with the ringer off.**

" **The streets of Vale have become a battleground." Lisa Lavender reported, "The Army is here trying to contain the violence but clearly, it is outmatched. I have to say in all my years of reporting, I have never seen anything like this." On the hellicarrier every agent was watching the same news report, "We have limited information on the team, but we do know that billionaire Ruby Rose's Iron Rose…"**

 **The scene shifted to Ruby with the missile on her back before the news continued. Weiss' icon was still on her HUD as two mini jets came out of her chest and pushed her into the sky. Every agent cheered when Ruby entered the wormhole.**

" **M-M-M-Ma'am…" Ren's voice distorted as her suit shut down. Ruby watched the missile hit the mothership and detonate. As she watched the ship explode, she closed her eyes and drifted in space. The resulting shockwave gave her some momentum and her body floated toward the wormhole.**

" **Come on Rose." Emerald watched the skies.**

 **Jaune waited a little while longer, "Close it."**

"DON'T DARE CLOSE THAT PORTAL YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH!" Yang screamed standing up.

"Yang!" Summer held onto her no matter how hard she thrashed.

 **Emerald forced Qrow's scepter into the base and closed the wormhole. As the hole was closing, Ruby narrowly made it out.**

" **Son-of-a-gun." Jaune smiled.**

" **She's not slowing down!" Raven opened a portal.**

 **Before she could step in Ozpin grabbed her mid air and landed in front of them. Raven tore off Ruby's helmet revealing her eyes still closed. Jaune closed his and bowed his head. Ozpin roared and Ruby woke up.**

Yang released the breath she was holding and collapsed in Summer's arms. The other students did the same, the staff were relieved that the town was still standing, while the villains were indifferent to the whole thing.

"I suppose it is a good thing." Watts whispered, "If the town was nuked there goes the relic."

Salem hummed, "Maybe."

" **WHAT THE HELL?!" Ruby looked around, "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."**

" **We won." Jaune nodded.**

" **All right yay!" Ruby relaxed, "Hurray. Good job guys! Let's just NOT come in tomorrow. Let's take a day. Have you ever had shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."**

" **We're not finished yet." Raven looked at the tower.**

" **And then shawarma after." Ruby nodded.**

 **Qrow was dragging himself out of the hole Ozpin left him in. He saw a bunch of shadows over him. He looked behind and saw Cinder holding an arrow ready to fire, Ozpin glaring, Emerald with his scepter, Jaune with his bloodstained shield, Ruby with her ruined armor, and Raven with her sword at the ready.**

" **If it's all the same to you." Qrow held his hands up, "I'll take that drink now."**

"Not a bad way to end it." Ozpin nodded.

… _ **Later…**_

"I misspoke." Ozpin shook his head.

" **Despite the devastation of what has been confirmed as an extraterrestrial attack." Lisa Lavender reported, "The extraordinary heroics of a group known as the Inner Circle has been to many a cause not only for comfort, but for celebration."**

" **It's just really great knowing they're out there." One civilian said, "That someone's watching over us."**

" **I LOVE YOU RAVEN!" A man yelled at the camera.**

 **One woman was getting her hair dyed to match Ruby's.**

 **Children were recreating the events of what they saw.**

" **I don't know…" one man and his wife said, "I don't exactly feel safer with those things out there. It just seems like there's a lot they're not telling us."**

" **Superheroes?" A woman with fair skin and crimson hair sat with a man in a black biker vest playing chess. A remarkable resemblance to Pyrrha down to the green eyeshadow. Her hair wasn't as long but her voice was uncanny, "In Vale? Give me a break."**

"Pyrrha?" Nora had to rub her eyes, "Where were you through this whole thing?!"

"First of all, I could say that for you." Pyrrha snipped, "Second of all, that doesn't look entirely like me. I wonder who that is."

"I don't entirely know but I have the strange feeling that we're going to see a lot more of her." Ruby felt a strange feeling brewing in her tummy. Maybe it was the lack of cookies.

" **These so-called 'heroes' have to be held responsible for the destruction done to this city." A senator told a press conference, "This was their mess, where are they now?"**

" **Tough questions are being asked about the Inner Circle themselves." Lisa continued, "Their sudden appearance and equally sudden disappearance…"**

" **What that this was somehow their fault?" a waitress asked, "Captain Vale saved my life. Wherever he is, and whoever any of them are, I would just…I would want to say thank you."**

" **Where is the Inner Circle?" The Councilman asked.**

" **I'm not currently tracking their whereabouts." Junior shrugged, "I'd say they've earned a leave of absence."**

" **And the Tesseract?" The Councilwoman asked.**

" **The Tesseract is where it belongs." Junior voiced over Ruby, Oscar, and Merlot placing the Tesseract in a glass tube with golden accents, "Out of our reach."**

" **That's not your call." Another Councilman said.**

" **I didn't make it." Junior shook his head, "I just didn't argue with the Goddess that did."**

" **So, you let her take it and the war criminal Qrow – who should be answering for his crime…"**

" **Oh, I think he will be." Junior said.**

 **Emerald whispered into Cinder's ear. She chuckled as she watched Qrow in chains. Raven and Qrow grabbed the tube and the Tesseract teleported them back to Asgard.**

" **I don't think you understand what you've started, letting the Inner Circle loose on the world. They're dangerous."**

 **Emerald gave Oscar his bag and her and Cinder left in a S.H.E.I.L.D. Car.**

" **They surely are." Junior agreed, "And the whole world knows it. Every world knows it."**

 **Ruby and Oscar drove away.**

" **Was that the point of all this? A statement?"**

" **A promise." Junior said before hanging up.**

 **Jaune rode away on his bike.**

" **How does it work now?" Melanie asked as Junior returned to the bridge, "They've gone their separate ways. Some, pretty extremely far. If we get into a situation like this again, what happens then?"**

" **They'll come back." Junior simply stated.**

" **Are you really sure about that?" She asked once they reached the window.**

" **I am." Junior nodded.**

" **Why?" Melanie asked.**

" **Because we'll need them to." Junior stared out the window.**

 **Ruby unrolled some new blueprints as her and Weiss stood in their destroyed home. The camera zoomed out revealing the last letter standing. "O"**

… _ **Meanwhile in space…**_

 **A seer spoke to a dark throne overlooking the stars.**

" **Humans…" the seer spoke, "They are not the cowering wretches we were promised. They stand. They are unruly, and therefore cannot be ruled."**

 **A figure stood up from the throne and the Seer cowered.**

" **To challenge them is to court Death." The seer spoke.**

 **The figure turned her head revealing pale white skin, pulsing veins from her eyes and blood red eyes with black irises. The Witch smiled…**

"Oooooooh." Salem giggled, "This is going to be so much fun."

"Who are you again?" Cardin asked.

EVERYBODY jumped out of their skin.

"I totally forgot he was there." Weiss said.

"Because I like to keep silent during the movie!" Cardin snapped, "Seriously you people talk way too much."

Everyone blushed, "Isn't that the point?"

"No?" Cardin said, "We're supposed to enjoy the movie then talk about it after!"

"Nah." Ruby dismissed, "Besides we're in a magical theater. The rules don't apply here."

* * *

 **A/N: There it is! The first OFFICIAL step toward Infinity War! I know I said I was going to do Guardians of the Galaxy. RELAX, that's still coming. But I couldn't leave this out because this was our first look at Thanos.**

 **Don't forget to support the Genital WarThunder P/a/treon!**

 **I'll see y'all next time!**


	29. (XVIII) 13 Reasons Why

" **Hey!" Ruby crashed into Jaune in the hallway.**

" **Hey." Jaune chuckled as he recovered.**

 **The scene shifted to a basketball game. Ruby jumped up and cheered while Jaune watched her with a smile. The two were then at a dance, the two were centimeters away from a kiss.**

"Awww!" Yang and Summer squealed.

"Shut up!" Ruby blushed trying to hide herself in her hood.

" **Ruby…" Jaune voiced over the scene, "I'm not going. Not now. Not ever…"**

 **With tears streaming down her cheeks she turned to him, "Why didn't you say this to me when I was alive?"**

Taiyang spit out his drink, "WHAT?!"

Yang and Summer immediately grew angry.

"I don't like this." Nora leaned into Ren.

" **My husband and I…" Summer was holding a crying Taiyang's hand at the dinner table, "We never got a note."**

 **Jaune was riding his bike home when he saw a mysterious brown paper package on his welcome mat. He opened it reveling thirteen cassette tapes inside. He stole his friend's Walkman and pressed play.**

" **Hey!" Ruby's voice came out of the cassette, "It's Ruby. Ruby Rose…"**

" **Holy Shit…" Jaune gasped.**

" **Settle in." Ruby's voiced over a scene of her walking down the street soaked, "Because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically why my life ended." Jaune was standing over her grave. "And if you're listening to this tape, you're one of the reasons why."**

"Jaune?" Pyrrha questioned.

"I refuse to believe that!" Ruby objected.

Taiyang and Yang were too blinded by rage to listen. While Summer was consumed with grief.

 **Jaune, Whitley, Neptune, Cardin, Henry, Roy, Reese, Ren, and Oscar flashed across the screen. Jaune was seen dragging himself up with a bloody cut on his forehead. Then he was seen storming out of the main office of Beacon High.**

" **Is Ruby telling the truth?" Jaune asked.**

" **Don't believe everything you hear." Weiss advised.**

" **Whatever Ruby thought she saw." Oscar began, "She lied about it on those tapes because she's a crazy drama queen who killed herself for attention!"**

"FUCK YOU!" Yang snapped.

"Yang calm down!" Ruby wrapped her arms around her sister, "I'm right here."

" **Ruby had secrets Mrs. Rose." Blake said.**

" **Ruby's secrets are what killed her." Summer said.**

 **Weiss was seen holding a gun with Cardin.**

" **Maybe I'll never know why you did what you did." Ruby said, "But I can make you understand how it felt."**

 **Jaune was pushed down a hallway. Roy was getting beaten down in a parking lot.**

" **You don't know the whole story!" Oscar yelled.**

" **What else do I need to know?!" Jaune yelled back, "You're just like the rest of them, but I'm not!" Jaune slammed his locker closed, "Cause everyone is just so nice till they drive you to kill yourself!" Jaune screamed in a hall, "Sooner or later the truth will come out!"**

 **13 Reasons Why**

"What the fuck kind of universe is this?!" Yang screamed.

"What?" Mr. WarThunder asked, "Did you think everything was going to be superheroes and monsters?"

"Yes!" Blake shot up.

"Then you're a fool." Mr. WarThunder made them both sit back down, "Not everything is the good guy triumphing over evil. There are some realities where the good guy loses, loved ones are taken from us, and the right thing isn't always the best thing to do." Mr. WarThunder snapped his fingers and the screen came to life.

 **Drum roll.**

 **Jaune was dancing in front of a microphone with Nora and Pyrrha as backup vocals.**

 _ **We're no strangers to love  
You know the rules and so do I  
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of  
You wouldn't get this from any other guy**_

 _ **I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling  
Gotta make you understand**_

 _ **Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you**_

 **Adam was cleaning a bar when he looked over and saw the three singing. He starting bobbing his head to the beat as he cleaned.**

 _ **We've known each other for so long  
Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it  
Inside we both know what's been going on  
We know the game and we're gonna play it**_

 _ **And if you ask me how I'm feeling  
Don't tell me you're too blind to see**_

 **Adam wasn't cleaning anymore, he was full on dancing. He flipped over the bar and kept going with the widest smile.**

 _ **Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you  
Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you**_

 _ **(Oooooh~Give you up)**_

 _ **(Oooooh~Give you up)**_

 _ **(Ooh) Never gonna give, never gonna give  
(Oooooh~Give you up)  
(Ooh) Never gonna give, never gonna give  
(Ooooooh~Give you up)**_

 _ **We've known each other for so long  
Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it  
Inside we both know what's been going on  
We know the game and we're gonna play it**_

 _ **I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling  
Gotta make you understand**_

 _ **Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you  
Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry  
Never gonna say goodbye  
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you  
Never gonna give you up  
Never gonna let you down  
Never gonna run around and desert you  
Never gonna make you cry**_

 _ **Never gonna say goodbye**_

"That was pretty wholesome." Salem smiled.

"W-Were we just Jaune-Rolled?" Nora asked staring at the blank screen.

"I had you going for a second didn't I?" Mr. WarThunder asked, "APRIL FOOLS!"


	30. Poll

That was fun.

So now a serious question.

Since the last poll wants me to break up the Marvel movies and put something in between them.

I've got a new way to find what you guys wanna see. Instead of what movie you wanna see next. What ship do you wanna see next?

You pick the ship, I'll puck the movie.

GO VOTE NOW!


	31. Infinity War (XIX)

"Interesting thing happened." WarThunder said, "Someone reached out to me and wondered if I could add two more guests to the audience."

"Two more guest? Who are they?" Summer asked.

"Is it my mother and my butler?" Weiss asked.

"Butler?" Blake and Nora asked.

"I'd prefer my butler over my father any day." Weiss deadpanned.

"Fair enough." Blake replied.

"I might bring Willow Schnee here sometime, she could consider it a vacation from the douche bag she calls a husband. But no, these two are actually sisters."

"Is it the twins from Junior's club? Been itching to fight those two again." Yang said as she cracked her knuckles.

"No, these two are twins but it's not the Malachite twins. These two are a creation of GhostFang, and since no one here will know them then I should just drop them in." Mr. WarThunder said.

"Drop?" Everyone voiced. A second later a portal opened up ten feet above the ground and the sound of two young 15-year-old girls screaming at the top of their lungs before they landed on the ground with a hard and painful thud.

The first one had white and gold armor with a grey and blue skirt with black leggings, a blue and gold hood, a blue scarf, grey shin guard and grey sandals, a blue forearm guard on her right arm, some blue cloth wrapped around her left hand. On her waist was a black, twisted knife. And on her back in a white sheath was a ninjato straight katana that had white leather on the handle and an eagle head pommel and a blue circle shaped hilt. Her eyes were an emerald green.

The other wore grey and gold armor, gold forearm guards, and brown shin guards and sandals. Her braided strawberry blond hair went down to the bottom of her shoulder blades. What really caught everyone's attention was that her arms and legs were grey mechanical prosthetics with gold highlights. Her eyes are a sapphire blue.

"Ok, what is it with people having robot limbs?! Are they just THAT popular or something?!" Yang yelled in anger.

"I still think that it's because you keep complaining about it that we keep seeing it." Ruby said. Just then the girl with the blue hood shot her head up.

"As far as I can tell, we have been falling, FOR THREE DAYS!" She yelled.

"It also could have been thirty minutes..." The other girl groaned. The girl with the blue hood quickly stood up and drew her sword, pointing the black blade at everyone while her hood fell off revealing her short strawberry blond pixie haircut with a strip of hair dyed blue. Everyone then finally noticed that they both had fox ears on their heads.

"Ok, who are you people and why should we care?" She said.

"We could ask you the same thing." Ironwood said.

"Listen bub, I don't know what's going on here, but you don't want to mess with the Summer and Winter Maidens!" She said. That made Raven, Qrow, Cinder, Ozpin, Ironwood, Salem, and Salem/Cinder's underlings freeze. Did they hear her right? These two were the Summer and Winter Maidens?

"UGH! What part of 'Keep our Maiden powers secret' do you not understand?!" The girl with the prosthetics said, clearly upset with her twin.

"The secret part! We got these super powers and we can't even use them?! I mean, what the hell?!" The hooded girl argued.

"Y-you two are the Summer and Winter Maidens...?" Cinder said, trying to prosses this info. This made the hooded girl perk up at being able to brag.

"YEP! I'm the Summer Maiden and my dear, dear sister," She pulled the other girl closer. "is the Winter Maiden! We're pretty badass, aren't we?" She said with a satisfied grin while her sister face palmed... and instantly regretted it remembering that her arms are made of metal. Everyone just stared at the two in confusion, except for Ozpin and Salem who were thinking up a storm about these two.

'I HAVE to get these two at Beacon, immediately!' Ozpin thought as he put on his charming (*CHOUGH* manipulative as fuck *CHOUGH*) smile.

'Manipulation time~' Salem mentally sung to herself as she put on an evil grin.

"Well, I guess it's introduction time. My name is... Um, Professor Ozpin?" Ruby said just as Ozpin stood in front of her as he greeted the twin girls. However, his sudden appearance in front of them startled them a little, Yang is pretty sure she heard hood girl whisper to her sister 'Pedophile alert'.

"Hello there. My name is Ozpin, I'm the headmaster of Beacon Academy, and judging by your attire you're both training to become Huntresses. Are you in a combat school such as Signal or...?"

"Our parents are privately training us..." Prosthetics girl quietly said.

"Ah! Well then I could talk to your parents and convince them to let you two enter Beacon early-" Ozpin said until he was interrupted by Salem.

"Tsk, oh please. Why would they want to be Huntresses when these two lovely young ladies could be Queens."? She said while taking a few steps closer to the girls which got prosthetics girl to arm herself by clenching her fist and having three straight claws quickly extend out of her knuckles.

"Ok creepy pale lady, please take ten steps back because you smell like death." Hood girl said. While Salem didn't show any reaction to her comment, those who knew her best (Team WTCH and Ozpin) could tell that she was annoyed. "By the way, Oz, we already told you we're going to wait until we're 17 to enter Beacon like everyone else." Now this through everyone in for a loop. They already met Ozpin, but he didn't know them?

"I... I've never met you two before..." Ozpin said as he was trying to figure out what was going on.

"That's because they don't exist in your world." WarThunder said.

"What do you mean?" Asked a suspicious Watts.

"What I mean is that these two are the daughters of Jaune Arc, from another dimension of course." The god like being said. This surprised everyone, especially the two girls.

"Whoa whoa wait a minute. 'Another dimension'? What does that mean?" Hood girl asked.

"Hey, doesn't she *points at Ruby* look like Aunt Ruby from when she was our age?" Prosthetics girl asked her sister.

"'Aunt Ruby'? *GASP* OH MY GOSH! ARE YANG AND JAUNE MARRIED IN A DIFFERENT WORLD?! AM I AN AUNT?!" Ruby excitedly exclaimed, while the two girls looked at each other. Yang now slightly uncomfortable because she could just FEEL the murderous stare that a certain redhead was giving her. She should put out the embers before they can start a fire.

"Ok, Ruby, a few things. One: Yes, it COULD be possible that Vomit-boy and I get together in some different universe, it's just not going to be OUR universe. Two: These two are Fox Faunus', last I checked Jaune and I were human. And Three: They have strawberry blond hair; my hair is golden blond and so is Jaune's." Yang said.

"Um, the Faunus thing isn't true, dad's a Fox Faunus." Said hood girl.

"Really? He's a Faunus?" Blake asked.

"Sounds like a better version of this Jaune." Adam said. This caused the girls to look at him in instantly their eyes widened.

"ADAM?!" They both screamed as they jumped back. Prosthetics girl retracted her claws as she pointed her fist at him as two machine guns came out of her forearms while her sister's sword blade started to glow pure white.

"AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD?!" Prosthetics girl yelled in a panicked tone.

"YEAH, I CUT OFF YOUR HEAD! IT'S KINDA HARD TO WALK OFF A DECAPITATION!" Hood girl screamed.

"Yo got killed by a couple of kids? Foreshame Adam, foreshame." Cinder mocked, which got the girl's attention drawn to her.

"AHHHH!" They both yelled.

"IS THAT CINDER!?"

"DIDN'T MOM KILL HER?!"

"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU SURVIVE GETTING IMPALED IN THE FACE WITH HER SPEAR!?"

"WOULD YOU TWO STOP SCREAMING?!" Yang yelled.

"YANG, DON'T START SCREAMING WITH THEM!" Weiss yelled at her.

"WHY ARE WE SCREAMING?!" Nora yelled.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Ruby screamed.

" **SHUT UP!** " WarThunder yelled. After a few stressful seconds of silence WarThunder finally spoke. "Thank you. We don't have a lot of time. By the end of this you'll know why. Right now, all you need to know is that you're about to witness a bunch of different realities about your father. Now shut up and watch, this is going to end badly…"

"Really?" Prosthetics girl asked as she and her sister started to calm down.

"Yes. Now I believe that introductions are in order. Please tell everyone who you two are." WarThunder said.

"Oh, well I'm Rwby and this is Juniper." Hood girl, Rwby, said and Juniper gave a small wave.

"Ruby? Did Jaune name you after me?! That's so sweet of him!" Ruby gushed.

"No, no, my name is spelled R, W, B, Y. I'm named after your team." Rwby said.

"Why her team?" Raven asked.

"Because, according to dad, these four wouldn't stop pestering him and mom to name one of us after one of them. So, dad named me after all four of them by naming me after their team." Rwby explained.

"I guess that makes sense." Weiss said.

"Soooooooooooo, who's your mom, I'm just curious." Pyrrha nonchalantly asked while she was thinking 'Please say me, please say me, please say me, please say me.'

"You are. Is dad dating someone else in your world?" Juniper asked.

"...… Mr. WarThunder is there a bathroom here?" Pyrrha calmly asked.

"Yes, its right behind you. I'm actually surprised that no one has needed to use it at all." WarThunder said. Pyrrha then walked over to the door, opened it, walked in, closed the door, locked it, then after a few seconds everyone heard her stat yelling.

"YES! FUCKING YES! I KNEW IT I FUCKING KNEW WE WOULD GET TOGETHER! TO ALL THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS WHO DOUTED WE WOULD GET TOGETHER I SAY FUCK YOU!" After a few seconds of calming down, Pyrrha walked out of the bathroom with a satisfied smile on her face.

"Oooook. So Rwby I saw your sword glow when you saw Adam. Was that your Maiden powers?" Qrow asked.

"No that was my semblance. My semblance is called "Energy", it lets me throw fireballs, shoot lightning out of my fingers, it increase my physical strength to the point where I can one shot a goliath with a supercharged punch, increase my speed to the point I'm a literal blur, and I can even compress some energy around Starshredder's blade and slash that energy at an opponent like a projectile." Rwby explained.

"Starshredder?" Ilia asked. Rwby just gestured to her sword. "Oh. So, what's your semblance?" she asked Juniper. Before Juniper could answer, her sister jumped in.

"Oh, her semblance is awesome! It's called "Aura Manifestation", and that is not to be confused with Aura Manipulation. Aura Manifestation gives her six abilities which I like to call powers ups: Berserk, Haste, Invisibility, Invulnerability, Quad Damage, Regeneration. Berserk makes her super strong and super angry and she can't feel pain, Haste obviously increase her speed, Invisibility is self-explanatory, Invulnerability makes her an indestructible juggernaut that can get crud stomped by a dozen Goliaths and still be able to run a marathon with no damage to her aura, Quad Damage makes it so that any of her attacks dose double the amount of damage, and Regeneration not only repairs her physical damage like cuts and bruises but it also replaces any lost aura. Although Juniper tries not to use her Berserk power because she tends to get out of control and it puts everyone in her line of sight in danger because she can't control her anger, so when she needs extra strength she only taps into a little bit of it, making her stronger but also easily irritated." Rwby said. Everyone was quite surprised to hear all of that. While both of their semblances made them both powerful Juniper's was probably the strongest out of the two of them.

"Wow... Thanks for telling them all about me Rwby. Why don't you read them my diary next?" Juniper sarcastically said in an annoyed tone.

"Ok!" Rwby said as she pulled out a small book.

"WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE MY DIARY!? GIVE IT BACK!" Juniper yelled as her sclera turned red, indicating to Rwby that she just accidentally activated her Berserk power up.

"Ahhh! Here take it, take it!" Rwby then gave her back the little book and Juniper calmed down.

"Ok. Now that that's out of the way, shall we get started?" WarThunder asked.

"Can we have some snacks or something?" Rwby asked. Then extra-large tubs of popcorn materialized in her hands and in Juniper's with a few bags of candy on top. "Thanks!"

"What about drinks?" Juniper asked, "Our arms are full so we can carry any cups." Juniper asked.

"I could carry them." Pyrrha said. Then two large cups of soda materialized in her hands. Everyone went back to their seats as Rwby and Juniper sat next to Pyrrha. The lights died down as the film started.

 _ **This is the Asgardian refugee vessel**_ **Statesman.** _ **We are under assault. I repeat we are under assault. The engines are dead, life support failing. Requesting aid from any vessel within range. We are 22 jump points out of Asgard. Our crew is made up of Asgardian families. We have very few soldiers here. This is not a warcraft. I repeat, this is not a warcraft.**_

 **In the far reaches of space one spaceship was being fired upon by a much larger one. Larger was the wrong word, colossal would be more accurate.**

"Oh, what dick bags, attacking a boat full of families who can't defend themselves." Rwby fumed.

"Tell me about it." Juniper said.

" **Hear me an rejoice." Watts spoke as Taiyang stared at a fire in the ship, "You have had the privilege of being saved by the great Queen." He stepped around the dead bodies. "You may think this is suffering. No, it is salvation. Universal scales tip toward balance because of your sacrifice. Smile." Watts watched unflinchingly as Tyrion stabbed a woman on the ship. "For even in death you half become children of Salem."**

 **Qrow watched as a giant was standing in a hole in the ship. At the giant's feet was Raven.**

" **I know what it's like to lose." The giant turned around, "To feel so desperately that you're right…yet to fail nonetheless." The giant grabbed Raven by the collar and dragged her around the ship. "Turns the legs to jelly. But I ask you to what end? Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same…and now it's here. Or should I say…I am…" the giant revealed a golden gauntlet with a red gem in the index knuckle.**

"An interesting speech to say the least." Hazel said. Watts wrote that speech down, figuring that his mistress would want to use it sometime in the future.

"I must say my Goddess; you look quite more intimidating with that armor." Tyrion said, all giddy to see such destruction.

"The extra muscle and height seem to help." Cinder shuddered. Salem looked at her counterpart then looked down at her arms. Her arms were scrawny toothpicks compared to the arms of the other her.

"Watts, Hazel, Tyrion, when we get back home, I want armor like that forged for me and a gym added to the castle." She said.

 **Raven spit up a mouthful of blood as the giant held her by her hair, "You talk too much."**

" **The Tesseract." The giant spoke to Qrow, "Or your sister's head." Watts, Tyrion, Hazel, and Neo all stared at Qrow waiting for his reaction, "I assume you have a preference."**

"You look taller, Neo." Roman said and Neo playfully punched his in the arm.

" **Oh, I do." Qrow nodded, "Kill away."**

"Yoooooooooooouuuuu, DICK!" Raven said.

"As if you wouldn't do the same to me." Qrow scoffed.

 **The giant did not hesitate to put the gem right against Raven's temple. Her screams filled the air as her veins began to turn red and her skin began to darken.**

" **All right stop!" Qrow screamed.**

"He does care." Juniper said.

"Of corse he does." Summer defended Qrow, "Even if they had some bad blood, they're still siblings after all."

"Meh." Raven crossed her arms.

"You're blushing." Qrow taunted.

"Shut up!" Raven yelled.

 **Raven gasped with relief once the gem left her head, "We don't have the Tesseract. It was destroyed on Asgard." Qrow looked down in shame as he pulled the Tesseract from thin air, "You really are the worst brother."**

" **I assure you sister." Qrow looked at her while he stepped closer to the giant, "The sun will shine on us again."**

" **Your optimism is misplaced Asgardian." The giant chuckled.**

" **Well, for one thing: I'm not Asgardian." Qrow chuckled, "And for another, we have Ozpin."**

 **Ozpin tackled the giant into the wall. Ozpin kept punching and pushing her further into the ship.**

 **Hazel was about to step in when Watts stopped him, "Let her have her fun."**

"Fun?" Rwby said in confusion.

 **The giant grabbed Ozpin's wrists and pulled them off her neck. She jabbed him in the throat, Ozpin tried to punch but the giant blocked and hit him again. He threw another, and she ducked under his fist and kidney punched him. Ozpin tried a left hook, she blocked and delivered two to his stomach. He tried swinging with his right arm, but she did the same thing. She punched his head into a metal pillar, shattering it upon impact. She grabbed the back of his head and brought it to her knee, then picked up over her head, and slammed him into the ground forming a small crater.**

"Oh..." Rwby said, slightly intimidated. This version of Ozpin looked like he could hold up a 150-billion-ton mountain and that version of Salem just beat the shit out of him and tossed him around like a rag doll.

"Oh, I'm so liking this one already." Salem darkly chuckled.

"Here I thought you were the strongest person in this universe." Raven drank victoriously, "HaHaHa." She loved seeing any reality where Ozpin was beat down.

 **Raven came up and hit her with a metal beam. It shattered without phasing the giant in the slightest. She looked down and kicked Raven across the room. Watts waved his hands and scrap metal formed around Raven pinning her to the floor.**

"Really effective right there, great job Raven, thank you for saving the day." Rwby sarcastically said.

"Shut up you little shit." Raven grumbled.

" **Allfathers…" Taiyang grunted as he looked at Ozpin, "Let the dark magic flow through me one last…" the Bifrost came in and flew Ozpin away. "Time."**

" **That." The giant took the staff from Tyrion, "Was a mistake." She drove it into Taiyang's chest.**

Raven's breath hitched and Summer grabbed Taiyang's arm.

" **NOOOOOO!" Raven screamed, "You're going to die for that."**

"Whoa." Taiyang rubbed his chest, "Well now I know what you guys were talking about."

 **Watts waved his hand again and another piece wrapped around Raven's mouth, "My humble personage…" Watts knelt with the Tesseract in his hand, "Bows before your grandeur. No other being has ever had the might…nay, the nobility…to wield not one, but two of the Infinity Gems. The universe lies within your grasp."**

 **The giant began to strip off her armor revealing the dark witch underneath. She took the Tesseract from Watts and crushed it in her hand. She blew the glass away revealing a small round purple jewel. She groaned as the gem magically went into the middle knuckle hole of the gauntlet.**

"I take it that's a bad thing?" Juniper asked.

"I think it's safe to say that's bad." Rwby said.

"You mean the magical gem that just floated into the golden gauntlet and that the giant grimm lady just slaughtered half a ship for?" Roman asked.

" **There are two more gems on Remnant." Salem admired the two gems on her hand, "Find them my children, and bring them to me on Titan."**

" **Father we will not fail you." Neo said with a synthetic voice synthesizer.**

" **If I may interject." Qrow spoke up, "If you're going to Remnant, you might want a guide. I do have a bit of experience in that arena."**

" **If you consider failure experience." Salem smirked.**

" **I consider experience experience." Qrow said, "Almighty Salem. I, Qrow, Prince of Asgard, Odinson, the rightful King of Jotunheim, God of Mischief, do herby pledge to you my undying fidelity." Qrow knelt, then quickly rose with a dagger in hand. But Salem raised the gauntlet and a purple force held Qrow's hand in place.**

" **Undying?" Salem asked, "You should choose your words more carefully." Salem broke Qrow's wrist and grabbed him by the neck with her gauntlet, she raised him to eye level. Then looked at Raven.**

" **You…" Qrow strained against the cold metal, "Will never be a god."**

 **Salem snapped his neck.**

"UNCLE QROW!" Ruby and Yang cried out.

"Ooooh, no response or remark needed. Because what does it say about you if you can kill a god?" Juniper shuddered.

"It says you need one hell of a big fucking gun if you want to beat me." Salem smugly said.

"What is wrong with me?!" Tyrion yelled, he then quickly turned to Salem and said, "My mistress I am SO sorry for insulting you by calling you something as weak as a god!"

"You are forgiven, thought you can still keep calling me goddess until you figure out something else to call me." Salem nonchalantly said.

"Bit of a fat head on this one?" Winter asked.

"Only now she has the power to back it up." Glynda groaned.

" **NO!" Raven screamed against the metal over her mouth.**

 **Salem dumped Qrow's body at Raven's knees, "No resurrections this time."**

 **Salem raised her fist and used the red gem to cause red fires to spread throughout the ship. She used the purple gem to teleport her and her children out. With Watts gone the metal holding Raven broke apart. She crawled over to Qrow and held him as the ship exploded.**

 **Meanwhile Ozpin was flying though space past a broken moon.**

" **Seriously?" Glynda asked, "You don't have any money?"**

" **Attachment to the material is detachment from the spiritual." Port said as the two of them began down the stairs.**

"Laaame." Rwby groaned.

"Nonsense! If one is to be a great warrior like myself then one-" Port began, only for Rwby to interrupt him.

"LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMME." She loudly groaned.

" **I'll tell the guys at the deli." Glynda nodded, "Maybe they'll make you a metaphysical ham on rye."**

" **Oh!" Port dug through his pockets, "Wait, wait, wait, I think I have two-hundred."**

"Changed your tone real quick didn't ya?" Glynda smirked.

"If anything gets Peter motivated it's food." Oobleck chuckled.

"All I have to do is wave a book you've never read before and you're out of your chair faster than I can blink." Port countered.

"Books are important!" Oobleck defended.

"So's food!" Port argued.

" **ENOUGH!"** Glynda silenced them.

"Yes ma'am!" They said simultaneously.

"I am SO going to have fun with these two when we get to Beacon." Rwby whispered to herself.

" **Dollars?" Glynda was surprised.**

" **Rupees." Port smiled.**

" **Which is how much?" Glynda sighed.**

" **A buck fifty." Port guessed.**

 **Glynda rolled her eyes and kept walking, "What do you want?"**

 **Port rubbed his hands, "I wouldn't say no to a tuna melt."**

"Tuna melts are pretty good. Especially with pickles on it." Juniper said.

"Meh, cheese burger from Sports Page are better." Rwby said.

"Dad said that their chicken wings are better than their burgers, and I agreed with him." Juniper said.

"Same. Patch needs a Sports Page." Summer said.

"What's Sports Page?" Nora asked.

Rwby just stared at Nora with wide eyes and a slackjaw.

 **Ozpin crashed through the ceiling. Glynda and port ran to the hole he made in the floor. Port's hands summoned two orange shields. While a red cape flew onto Glynda's back.**

" **Salem is coming!" Ozpin was slowly returning to Oscar, "She's coming."**

" **Who?" Glynda asked raising an eye brow**

 **The Inner Circle**

 **Infinity War**

"Nice opening. But, 'Inner Circle'? Sounds a little... Off." Rwby said.

"Yeah, I don't know. Maybe something else like, I don't know, the Peacekeepers, or X-Men, or Justice League, or The Avengers." Juniper listed off.

"Oh, I like the name Avengers." Rwby said.

"Pretty sure we've had this conversation." Glynda leaned to Ironwood.

"Dejavu." Ironwood agreed.

" **Slow down!" Ruby ran next to Weiss, "Slow down, and I'll spell it out for you."**

" **You're totally rambling." Weiss shook her head.**

" **No, I'm not." Ruby shook her head.**

" **You lost me." Weiss said.**

" **Look." Ruby tried to explain, "You know when you're having a dream and in the dream you gotta pee?"**

" **Yeah." Weiss nodded.**

" **Okay." Ruby nodded, "And then you're like: "Oh, my god. There's no bathrooms, what am I gonna do? Oh, someone's watching. I'm going to go in my pants."**

" **And then you wake up and in real life you actually have to pee." Weiss finished for her.**

" **Yes!" Ruby agreed, "Okay."**

"I've had a few of those dreams before." Juniper said.

"But why are they talking about it?" Rwby asked.

" **Yeah." Weiss nodded, "Everybody has that."**

" **Right." Ruby agreed, "That's the point I'm trying to make. Apropos of that, last night I dreamt we had a kid. It was so real. We named him after your eccentric uncle. Uh, what was his name?"**

" **Right…" Weiss closed her eyes and nodded along.**

" **Morgan!" Ruby nodded, "Morgan."**

" **So." Weiss opened her eyes, "You woke up and thought we were…?"**

" **Expecting." Ruby nodded.**

"...Ok first of all, Aunt Ruby and Aunt Weiss are dating? Second of all they are both girls. So, if they were to have a kid then it would have to be adopted because-" Rwby started to say, only for Ruby to interrupt.

"We get it, we get it." Ruby said with a blush.

"That's not necessarily true." Glynda pointed out, "When two people have sex, it's not just their bodies that become one, their auras do too. Their souls join and viola, two women have a baby."

"What?" Everybody stared at her.

"How do you know that?" Juniper asked.

"I paid attention in biology class when I was a student at Beacon." Glynda said.

" **Yeah." Weiss smiled.**

" **Yes?" Ruby grew giddy.**

" **No." Weiss crushed all her hopes and dreams as usual.**

" **I had a dream about it!" Ruby defended, "It was so real!"**

" **If you wanted a to have a kid you wouldn't have done that." Weiss tapped a new arc reactor in her chest.**

" **I'm glad you brought this up." Ruby tapped the reactor, "Cause it's nothing. It's just a housing unit for nanoparticles."**

" **You're not helping your case." Weiss argued.**

" **This is detachable." Ruby began stuttering.**

" **You don't need that." Weiss' voice rose.**

" **I know I had the surgery I'm just trying to protect us." Ruby stood her ground, "And future usses and that's it. Just in case there's a monster in the closet. Instead of you know…"**

" **Shirts?" Weiss asked.**

" **You know me so well." Ruby smiled.**

" **Gods be praised." Weiss sighed.**

" **You finish all my sentences." Ruby poked her.**

" **You should have shirts in your closet!" Weiss sighed again.**

" **Yeah." Ruby thought it over, "You know what there should be? No more surprises. We're gonna have a nice dinner tonight. Show off this Harry Winston." Weiss began to laugh, "Right? And we should have no more surprises. Ever. I should promise you."**

" **Yes." Weiss finally agreed with something Ruby said.**

" **I will." Ruby kissed her.**

" **Ruby Rose." Glynda came literally out of nowhere scaring Weiss, "I'm Doctor Glynda Goodwitch. I need you to come with me. Oh, uh, congratulations on the wedding, by the way."**

"Gods be praised." Port grabbed his chest, "Can you not just appear out of the blue?"

"My daughter is getting married! Oh, I'm so happy!" Summer yelled as she held Ruby close in a tight hug.

"MoooOOOOOM!" Ruby yelled in embarrassment.

"Soooo... Is Ruby married in your world or...?" Taiyang calmly asked, though he was getting a little angry at the thought of Ruby being married, even if she might be married to a girl.

"She's had a few boyfriends, though they never last long, like a month or two." Rwby said.

"WHY?" Yang said as her eyes turned red.

"Apparently not a lot of guys want to be in a relationship with a socially awkward girl obsessed with weapons, that's why the relationships are so short." Juniper said.

"Who coulda guessed that?" Mercury snickered.

"I remember this one time, she came by the house and told mom about this guy that she met, and she was sure that he was the one, then ten minutes later he texted her and said that they should break up. Two hours later, dad came home, and Aunt Ruby was still crying." Rwby said. Tai, Yang, Summer, and Qrow now wanted to find this guy and make is life miserable.

" **I'm sorry you giving out tickets to something?" Ruby snapped.**

" **We need your help." Glynda's eyebrow ticked, "It's not overselling it to say that the fate of the universe is at stake."**

" **And who's "we"?" Ruby asked.**

 **Oscar stepped out from behind Glynda, "Hey Ruby."**

" **Oscar." Ruby gasped as she hugged him.**

" **Weiss." Oscar looked at her.**

" **Hi." Weiss gasped.**

" **At the dawn of the universe." Port explained, "There was nothing. Then…boom." He used his magic to project the Big Bang and six jewels. "The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Gems each control an essential aspect of existence. Purple is Space, Yellow is Reality, Red is Power, Green is Soul, Blue is Mind, and…" she opened her amulet revealing a perfectly carved orange jewel. "Time."**

"Wow, I'm not much of a jewelry girl but I wouldn't mind that kind of bling." Rwby said.

"You wouldn't even survive touching the Power Stone. It's so unstable that if it so much as touched the soil of a planet, EVERYTHING on that planet dies. It takes unbelievably strong beings…oops, spoilers."

"Oh, come on!" Nora whined.

" **Tell me her name again." Ruby sat up.**

" **Salem." Oscar panicked, "She's a plague Ruby. She invades planets. She takes what she wants. She wipes out half the population. She sent Qrow. The attack on Vale that's her."**

" **This is it." Ruby shuddered, "What's our timeline?"**

" **No telling." Oscar said, "She already has the Power and Space Gems. That already makes her the strongest creature in the whole universe. If she gets her hands on all Six Gems Ruby…"**

" **She could destroy life on a scale hitherto undreamt of." Glynda finished for Oscar.**

" **Did you seriously just say: "Hitherto undreamt of?" Ruby asked stretching her legs.**

" **Are you seriously leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos?" Glynda asked.**

" **Is that what that is?" Ruby asked. Glynda's cape had a mind of its own and smacked Ruby's hand off the cauldron. She looked at her cape with a shocked look, "I'm going to allow that. It Salem needs all six why don't we just stick this one down the garbage disposal?"**

" **No can do." Glynda shook her head.**

"Why not? Just smash it with a hammer and stick whatever's left down the drain." Rwby argued.

"It's one of the building blocks of the universe." Glynda straightened her glasses, "I'll bet it can't be destroyed."

"Even if you did it'll probably just reform itself in a different part of the universe." Weiss suggested.

" **We swore an oath to protect the Time Gem without lives." Port angrily said.**

" **And I swore off dairy then Ben & Jerry's named a flavor after me." Ruby said.**

" **Red like Roses." Glynda named off.**

" **Not bad." Ruby said.**

" **A bit chalky." Glynda shrugged.**

" **That's a thing?" Oscar was surprised.**

" **Point is!" Ruby interrupted, "Thing's change."**

" **Our oath to protect the Time Gem cannot change." Glynda reinforced, "This gem may be the best chance we have against Salem."**

" **Yeah." Ruby grew rather annoyed, "So conversely, it may also be his best chance against us."**

" **Well if we don't do our jobs." Glynda glared.**

" **What is your job exactly?" Ruby snapped, "Besides making balloon animals?"**

" **Protecting your reality bitch." Glynda stared down Ruby.**

"Oh boy, I don't know who to root for. Aunt Ruby or The Wonderful Wizard of Glynda." Rwby snickered while Juniper elbowed her to be quiet.

"Ruby can't even because there's another quippy chick." Emerald said.

"What the hell does: "Can't even" even mean?" Ruby hated that line.

" **Okay ladies." Oscar stepped in before something stupid could leave Ruby's mouth, "Could we table this discussion for right now? The fact is we have this gem. We know where it is. Ren is out there somewhere with the Mind Gem and we have to find him now."**

" **Yeah." Ruby dragged out the word, "That's the thing."**

" **What do you mean?" Oscar asked.**

" **Two weeks ago." Ruby began, "Ren turned off his transponder. He's offline."**

" **What?!" Oscar snapped.**

"Ok that's not good." Juniper said.

"Oh, you think?" Raven asked.

" **Yeah." Ruby nodded.**

" **Ruby you lost another super bot?" Oscar groaned.**

" **I didn't lose him." Ruby began to pace, "He's more than that. He's evolving."**

" **Who could find Ren then?" Glynda asked.**

" **Shit." Ruby stopped, "Probably Jaune Arc."**

" **Oh great." Glynda scoffed.**

"What? What's wrong? Call dad and kick some ass!" Rwby said while Juniper nodded her head in agreement.

"Judging by everyone's reactions that might not be so easy." Pyrrha examined everybody.

" **Maybe…" Ruby shrugged, "But…"**

" **Call him." Oscar said ignoring the tone of the room.**

" **It's not that easy." Ruby turned to him, "Gods be praised, we haven't caught up in a spell, have we? The Inner Circle broke up. We're toast."**

"What?! NOOOOO!" Juniper yelled.

" **Broke up?" Oscar tilted his head, "Like a band? Like the Beowolves?"**

" **Cap and I fell out hard." Ruby grimly stated, "We're not on speaking terms."**

" **Ruby." Oscar stepped closer, "Listen to me. Raven is gone. Salem is coming. It doesn't matter who you're talking to or not."**

 **Ruby didn't like it, but Oscar was right. She turned around and pulled out the phone Jaune gave her before he went into hiding. She scoffed at the primitive design. As her thumb hovered over the call button, she heard a strange noise. She turned and looked at Glynda.**

" **Say, Doc, you wouldn't happen to be moving your hair, would ya?" Ruby asked.**

 **Glynda watched her little curl dance in the wind, "Not at the moment, no."**

"Wait!" Cinder jumped, "Does that mean that she does do that?"

"It does sound like it." Glynda sighed, did she really use her magic for that?

 **The group of them looked up at the hole Ozpin made and saw papers flying above. Then they turned to the door and saw people running away in terror. Ruby stepped outside and saw a traffic jam and a woman fall over.**

" **You okay?" She asked helping her up, "Help him Oscar!" She pointed at a man trapped in his car. She slipped on a pair of glasses, "Friday what am I looking at?"**

" **Port look alive!" Glynda ordered.**

" **Not sure." The glasses spoke to her, "Still working on it."**

" **Hey, you might wanna put that Time Gem in your back pocket Doc!" Ruby yelled.**

" **May wanna use it." Two purple circles appeared on Glynda's wrists and elbows.**

"OoOOoooo, neat!" Juniper said.

"That looks like my semblance!" Weiss accused.

"Sister." Winter grabbed her shoulder, "It's been established every reality, everybody will have different semblances."

 **Ruby looked around the corner and saw a banner fly away. She and Glynda stepped onto the street that was being enveloped in a gray fog. Above the fog was a giant circular spaceship.**

 **On a bus the hairs on Yang's arms stood up. She looked out the window and saw the spaceship. She started shaking Terra-Cotta.**

" **I need you to cause a distraction." Yang said.**

" **Holy Shit." Terra gasped, "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! THERE'S A SPACESHIP!"**

"Hahahaha, Aunt Terra, you are a treasure!" Rwby laughed and Juniper giggled.

"Who?" Pyrrha asked.

"Aunt Terra." Juniper explained, "Dad's sister's wife. They have a son…" Juniper looked back at a smirking Glynda.

 **Yang watched in amazement as the entire bus flooded to the back to stare out the window. She pulled her web shooter out of her backpack and used it to open the emergency window.**

" **What's the matter with you kids?" The Pyrrha-Lookalike was back as a bus driver, "You never seen a spaceship before?"**

"Mom's a bus driver?" Rwby and Juniper asked in confusion.

"No." Yang shook her head, "We've seen her a lot in this universe. I still don't know who she is."

 **Yang was hanging out the window where she slipped on her mask and jumped off the bridge. She web swung across the water and toward the spaceship.**

" **Friday." Ruby ordered, "Evac everyone south of 43rd street. Notify first responders."**

" **Will do." Friday acknowledged.**

 **Glynda on the other hand created a giant purple glyph and eliminated the fog all together. Glynda winked at Ruby and Ruby was beginning to like Dr. Goodwitch. A beam came down from the ship and Hazel and Watts were now in front of them.**

" **Hear me and rejoice." Watts began, "You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Salem. Be thankful that your meaningless lives are now contributing…**

" **I'm sorry Remnant is closed today!" Ruby yelled, "You better pack it up and get outta here."**

" **Gemkeeper." Watts turned to Glynda, "Does this chattering animal speak for you?"**

" **Certainly not I speak for myself." Glynda summoned two glyphs over her fists, "You're trespassing in this city and on this planet." Port summoned two of his own.**

" **She means get lost Squidward!" Ruby added.**

"HA!" Rwby laughed.

"Was that the best you would come up with?" Weiss sighed, "I swear sometimes your age shines through."

Ruby pouted.

" **She exhausts me." Watts spoke to Hazel, "Bring me the gem."**

 **Hazel grabbed his scythe and began forward.**

" **Oscar you want a piece?" Ruby asked.**

" **No, not really." Oscar fidgeted, "But when do I ever get what I want?"**

" **That's right." Ruby nodded, "It's been a while. It's good to have you buddy."**

 **Oscar began groaning and turning half green, but not fully into Ozpin, "Shh. Let me just…I need to concentrate for a second. Come on, come on, man."**

"Did turning into Ozpin just become an impedance metaphor?" Rwby asked.

"It looks like, something else." Juniper said.

 **Hazel forced a car out of his way.**

" **Where's your guy?" Ruby asked watching Oscar take an imaginary poop.**

"Could you be any less embarrassing?" Ruby shook her head.

"I got money that says yes." Yang snorted at the sight.

" **I don't know." Oscar gave up, "We've sorta been having a thing."**

" **There's no time for a thing!" Ruby frantically shook her head, "That's the thing right there. Let's go."**

" **I know." Oscar nodded and tried again.**

 **Glynda looked back at Ruby and she looked at Oscar.**

" **Dude you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards." Ruby whispered.**

" **Ruby I'm sorry." Oscar stammered, "Either I can't, or he won't."**

" **It's okay." Ruby pushed him back, "Hey, stand down. Keep an eye on him." Port nodded. "Thank you."**

" **I have him." Port stepped in front of Oscar.**

" **Damn it." Oscar sighed.**

 **Ruby pulled two strings and her hoodie became skin tight. She double tapped her new arc reactor and her Iron Rose suit assembled right there. Hazel brought down his scythe and Ruby's arm grew a shield? She blocked his strike and uppercut him. Her arms grew two blasters and four more came out of her back. They all fired simultaneously and sent him flying toward Watts. Who used his telekinesis to make Hazel fly away from him.**

"DUDE!" Ruby gasped at the sight, "I want it!"

"Holy hell, so cool!" Juniper likes that. She likes that very much.

"Your inventions are going way too far Rubes." Yang lectured.

"Maybe not far enough!" Ruby grew excited at the idea of turning Crescent Rose into a full suit.

" **WHERE'D THAT COME FROM?!" Oscar gasped as Ruby's suit returned to normal.**

" **It's nanotechnology." Ruby turned to explain, "You like it? A little something I…!"**

 **Watts manipulated the earth and sent Ruby flying into the air. He uprooted two nearby trees and sent them flying at them. Port joined his glyphs together to form a larger one and used it as a shield.**

" **Dr. Pine if the rest of your green friend won't be joining us." Glynda summoned a portal that consumed Oscar and half a taxi sending him across town.**

"That was a little reckless." Juniper said, "That taxi could have crushed him."

"He's fine." Glynda shrugged off.

 **Watts threw a car at them. As Glynda and Port were summoning their glyphs, Ruby came flying in and shot the car back at him. Watts raised his hand and cut the car in half.**

" **You gotta get that gem out of here now." Ruby said.**

" **It stays with me." Glynda growled.**

" **Exactly bye!" Ruby began flying at Watts.**

 **Using his telekinesis to manipulate the debris around them, he had two concrete tentacles try to grab Ruby. Right before she was able to strike, Hazel's scythe turned into a hook, latched onto Ruby, and sent her across town, through a building, before finally landing against a tree.**

" **Ruby!" Oscar ran to her, "You okay? How we doing? Good? Bad?"**

" **Really, really good." Ruby said half her body buried in the dirt, "Really good. You plan on helping out?"**

" **I'm trying." Oscar said, "He won't come out."**

 **Hazel jumped through the building he sent Ruby through.**

" **Hammer!" Ruby tackled Oscar out of the way.**

 **Ruby fired two repulser beams, except Hazel had a folded shield on his arm that blocked her beams. Oscar yelped as her refracted beams severed a tree branch that almost crushed him**

" **Come on Ozpin!" Oscar began slapping himself, "What are you doing to me? Come out! Come out! Come out!"**

" **NO!" Ozpin took over half his face before returning to Oscar.**

" **What do you mean "No"?!" Oscar fell onto his back.**

 **While Ruby's attacks were being blocked, Hazel's hammer came back into his hand. Where he knocked her out of the air and back onto the ground. He jumped up and brought the hammer down when it was stopped suddenly.**

" **Hey man!" Yang poked her head out from under the hammer, "What's up Baby Sis?"**

" **Yang?" Ruby rolled over, "Where'd you come from?"**

"Where DID she come from?" Juniper asked.

"I swung there obviously." Yang pointed out as if it were obvious.

"I think what she means is how did you get across town in such a shot amount of time." Weiss corrected.

"I swung there, duh." Yang repeated.

Weiss opened her mouth to speak but Ruby and Taiyang stopped her.

" **A field trip to MoMA!" Hazel yanked Yang out from under the hammer and threw her aside. Ruby used the opening to attack, Yang used her webs to fling back into the action, "Uh, what is this guy's problem, Baby Sis?"**

" **Uh, he's from space." Ruby explained, "He came here to steal a necklace from a wizard."**

 **Hazel roared as his claw grabbed Yang, he spun around, and let go of Yang after a few rotations. He used his shield to block Ruby's repulser beams as he grabbed the taxi and threw it at her. Ruby dodged and Yang used her webs to grab the car midair and slam it back down on Hazel.**

 **Meanwhile, Watts lifted all of the bricks around him, turn them into spikes, and sent them at Glynda like bullets. Glynda opened a portal that ate the brick bullets. While Port opened another that spit them back at Watts. He brought up a car as a shield, but a few made it through, and one cut him. Realizing the problem, he angled a nearby fire hydrant at Port, and the pressurized water sent the hydrant and Port flying away. Glynda made a purple whip and pulled Watts down, but he used the opportunity to tackle Glynda into the air and into a building.**

" **Your powers are quaint." Watts used the bricks to restrain her, "You must be popular with children." He tried to grab her amulet, but it burned his hand as he held it.**

" **It's a simple spell but quite unbreakable." Glynda noted.**

" **Then I'll take it off your corpse!" Watts snarled as he ripped her out of the wall and threw her onto the ground.**

 **Glynda opened the amulet, but Watts used the rebar nearby to restrain her hands, closing the amulet. One piece began to snake up her body and around her neck. Watts clenched his fist and the rebar tightened around her body.**

" **You'll find removing a dead woman's spell troublesome." Glynda strained.**

" **You'll only wish you were dead." Watt's tightened the rebar to the point where Glynda fell unconscious.**

"We have ways of making you talk." Salem smiled and Watts pulled out a different notebook.

 **Watts lifted a slab of the ground up, but the Cloak of Levitation had different ideas. It freed Glynda from the rebar and flew off.**

"Can I have that cape?" Rwby asked.

"I bet I could make it." Ruby grew a devious smile, "Or a jet pack!"

"Ruby no!" Yang sprayed her with a water bottle, "Down!"

Ruby's response was to hiss like a cat and swat at Yang. Suddenly Blake and her parents felt insulted.

" **NO!" Watts screamed.**

 **Glynda flew right in between Ruby, Hazel, and Yang.**

" **Yang that's the wizard!" Ruby grew a shield and blocked Hazel's claw, "Get on it!"**

" **On it!" Yang began web swinging after Glynda.**

 **Watts was floating on a collection of debris chasing after Glynda. Without looking he sent a billboard crashing into Yang.**

" **Not cool." Yang resumed her web swinging.**

 **Watts began manipulating the street lamps in an attempt to catch Glynda. One managed to grab the Cloak of Levitation, but not Glynda.**

" **Gotcha!" Yang caught Glynda with her web before she met the ground. The tractor beam locked onto Glynda, however. "Wait!" Yang strained trying to keep Glynda on Remnant. She grabbed a nearby street lamp, Watts lifted it off the ground. "Ruby! I'm being beamed up!"**

" **Hang on Yang!" Ruby was still dealing with Hazel.**

 **Hazel's claw wrapped around her and he tossed her to the ground. Ruby was contorted and couldn't break free. Hazel extended a blade on his arm and jumped into the air. Before he could impale however a portal opened. Hazel landed in the frozen wastes of Atlas. He looked up and saw Port and Oscar staring at him. He jumped up but Port closed the portal severing his hand. Oscar kicked Hazel's hand away from him.**

"Hoho!" Port cheered.

"Ow…" Hazel rubbed his left hand.

" **Port your invited to my wedding!" Ruby broke free and took off after the spaceship Yang was hanging onto. "Friday give me a little juice." Ruby's feet joined together forming one large rocket increasing her speed dramatically. "Unlock 17A."**

"Why thank you Miss. Rose." Port sat back down, "Or is it Mrs. Schnee?"

"That's an interesting question." Ruby looked at Weiss.

"Schnee-Rose?" Weiss asked.

"Interesting dilemma." Summer stroked her chin.

 **Back at the Inner Circle base a suit of armor was launched out of the wall and went flying into the sky.**

" **Yang you gotta let go!" Ruby yelled, "I'm gonna catch you!"**

" **But you said save the wizard!" Yang yelled back, "I can't breathe…" she ripped off her mask trying to get some fresh air.**

" **We're too high up you're running out of air!" Ruby flew as fast as she could.**

" **Yeah." Yang nodded, "That makes sense."**

 **Yang couldn't hold on anymore and let go. Just as the suit from home base came flying in. It broke apart before latching onto Yang forming a new metallic spider suit.**

" **Ruby it smells like a new car in here!" Yang could breathe again.**

"I love that smell. It smells so neat." Juniper said.

"How do they get that smell though?" Pyrrha asked, "I've smelt new leather and it's horrid. But new car with leather seat, still have that smell."

"How do you know what new leather smells like?" Nora curiously asked.

"I had a part time job at a movie theater." Pyrrha shrugged, "They renovated to get leather seats. The whole place smelt like a sewer."

"Ew..." Rwby said.

" **Happy Trails Sis!" Ruby flew past her, "Friday, send her home."**

" **Yep!" Friday activated a parachute in Yang's back.**

" **Oh, come on!" Yang screamed before the parachute pulled her away.**

"DICK MOVE!" Rwby yelled.

"I wanna keep my sis out of danger!" Ruby defended herself.

"We're huntresses-in-training." Yang crossed her arms, "Danger is part of the lifestyle."

"If I can avoid it, I'd rather." Ruby steeled her nerve.

 **Ruby's hand became four magnets as she latched onto the ship. Using her other hand, she cut a circle in the hull and jumped into the ship.**

" **Boss, incoming call from Miss. Schnee." Friday said.**

"Uh oh. Aunt Ruby is whipped!" Rwby giggled.

"Fucking better be." Weiss mumbled.

"I heard that." Ruby turned to her partner.

"And?" Weiss raised an eyebrow.

Rwby made a whipping sound.

" **Ruby?" Weiss asked, "Gods be praised, are you alright? What's going on?"**

" **Yeah." Ruby answered, "I'm fine. I just think we might have to push our 8:30 res."**

" **Why?" Weiss asked.**

" **Just cause…" Ruby's helmet retracted into her suit as she watched the alien technology, "I'll probably not make it back for a while."**

" **Tell me you're not on that ship." Weiss begged.**

" **Yeah." Ruby sighed.**

" **Gods be praised no, please tell me you're not on that ship." Weiss voice was getting distorted.**

" **Honey I'm sorry." Ruby pleaded, "I'm sorry. I don't know what to say."**

" **Come back here Ruby!" Weiss yelled, "I swear to the gods! Come back here right now!" Weiss' voice cut out.**

" **Weiss?" Ruby asked.**

" **Boss we're losing her…" Friday's voice began to distort, "I'm going too…" Friday disconnected as well.**

 **Meanwhile, on the outside of the ship, Yang was barely hanging on by a web. She crawled in between two pieces of metal that were closing.**

" **I shoulda stayed on the bus." Yang sighed as the doors finally closed.**

 **Watts engaged the hyperdrive and vanished into deep space.**

 **Back on Remnant, Oscar was picking up the flip phone Ruby dropped. Unlike today's phones, this one could handle a few rocks dropping on it.**

"Hahahaha! Somehow after that massive battle that ENDED IN THAT ONE PARK Oscar was able to retrace his steps and found Ruby's phone in all that rubble. Like, a needle in a haystack called and thinks that shit is too difficult." Rwby laughed at the absurdity.

" **Where you are going?" Oscar asked as Port was stepping into a portal.**

" **The Time Gem's been taken." Port said, "The Sanctum remains unguarded. What will you do?"**

 **Oscar showed him the phone, "I'm gonna make a call."**

 **Port nodded and closed the portal. Oscar dialed the only number in the phone as funky music began to play in the background.**

"Ok so he didn't retrace his steps." Port explained, "I teleported him back into the city. As for the phone, we back then phones could take a hit."

Rwby grumbled, "Ok, maybe it is plausible."

 **Space**

"Thanks for clarifying that." Juniper snarked.

 **A different spaceship was drifting along the stars. While inside Cardin was dancing and singing along to the music.**

"Oh, damn I love this song." Rwby said as Juniper and she started to sing along to it.

"Really?" Weiss asked.

"Dad taught us to enjoy the modern stuff, but to ALWAYS respect the classics." Juniper explained before going back to singing along with her sister.

 _ **Hey y'all prepare yourselves for the rubber band man**_

" **Sing it Russel!" Cardin passed it to him, but he was asleep in his chair.**

 _ **You've never heard a sound**_

 **Velvet on the other hand was mouthing the words.**

 _ **Like the rubber band man**_

 _ **You're bound to lose control**_

 _ **When the rubber band starts to jam**_

 **Zwei was yawning as he woke up from his nap, "Why are we doing this again?"**

"ZWEI CAN TALK?!" The Rose-XiaoLong family jumped.

"I repeat." Weiss gaped, "This universe is fucking weird."

"There better be a talking sloth somewhere." Nora crossed her arms.

" **It's a distress signal Zwei." Velvet explained, "Someone could be dying."**

" **I get that." Zwei scratched behind his ears, "But why are WE doing it?"**

" **Cause we're nice." Cardin said, "And maybe whoever it is will give us a little cheddar cheese for our effort."**

" **Which isn't the point." Velvet pointed at Cardin.**

" **Which isn't the point." Cardin pointed at Velvet, "I mean if he doesn't pony up…"**

" **We take his ship." Russel said.**

" **Exactly!" Zwei cheered.**

" **B-B-B-Bingo!" Cardin yelled.**

" **All right!" Zwei nodded.**

 **Velvet looked back at Cardin; he just shook his head at her.**

" **We are arriving." Coco said.**

" **Alright Guardians don't forget this might be dangerous so put on our mean faces." Cardin instructed.**

 **In the background Coco was practicing her mean face while Groot was playing a video game.**

" **Groot put that thing away now." Cardin ordered, "I don't wanna tell you again." The game noises continued, "Groot."**

" **I am Groot." Groot sneered.**

" **WHOA!" Everybody yelled.**

" **Language!" Zwei yelled.**

" **Oh!" Velvet turned around.**

" **Wow." Russel gasped.**

" **You got some acorns on you kid." Cardin sneered.**

" **Ever since you got a little sap, you're a total d-hole." Zwei scoffed. Groot just rolled his eyes at them, "You keep it up and I'm going to smash that thing to pieces!"**

"I can't tell what's more confusing." Weiss tilted her head, "The fact that there is a talking alien tree or that they all can understand it."

"They probably learned to understand him." Ren suggested.

"How?" Weiss asked.

"Probably Zwei." Ruby shrugged, "He's a smart doggo."

 **The ship exited hyperspace into a field of floating debris and dead bodies.**

"Whoa..." Rwby and Juniper gasped. They've seen destruction before, and this is the fourth most fucked up scene they've ever seen.

" **What happened?" Coco gasped.**

" **Gods be praised." Cardin was having trouble looking at the scene.**

" **Looks like we're not getting paid." Zwei shook his head as Raven's body hit their windshield, "Wipers! Wipers! Get it off!"**

 **They all screamed when Raven opened her eye. They had trouble hefting her onto a table. Zwei was sniffing while Velvet rotated her arms.**

" **How the hell is this chick still alive?" Cardin asked while Coco examined her.**

" **She is not a chick." Russel shook his head, "You're a chick. This…this is a woman. A beautiful, muscular woman."**

"HA! He just called you a chick!" Rwby laughed.

"I…" Cardin fidgeted, "I don't know how to react to this. On the one hand I'm being called a woman, on the other it's the Spring Maiden…"

"I thought you like being quiet during these?" Pyrrha asked.

"That was until I saw myself on screen." Cardin responded, "Now I understand why you guys can't stop talking during these."

" **I'm muscular." Cardin ignored the being called a woman part.**

" **Who are you kidding Cardin?" Zwei asked, "You're one sandwich away from fat."**

"Okay I am not fat." Cardin objected, "I'm bulking."

" **Yeah right." Cardin scoffed.**

" **It's true Cardin." Russel said, "You have put on a little weight."**

" **What?" Cardin asked.**

 **Russel motioned to his throat, then at his belly expanding.**

" **Velvet do you think I'm…?" Cardin asked but Velvet was too busy examining Raven.**

" **She is anxious." Coco's glasses glowed, "Angry. She feels tremendous loss and guilt."**

" **It's like a pirate had a baby with an angel." Russel whispered.**

" **Wow." Cardin gasped, "This is a real wake up call for me. Okay. I'm gonna get a Bowflex. I'm gonna commit. I'm gonna get some dumbbells."**

" **You know you can't eat dumbbells, right?" Zwei asked.**

"He's got you there fatass." Rwby chuckled.

"I am not fat!" Cardin whined. "I'm bulking!"

 **Velvet had Raven's arm in her hands, "It's like her muscles are made of Cotati metal fibers."**

"Velvet are you stepping out on me?" Coco dramatically accused.

"Well I mean look at her." Velvet shrugged, "You know I've always had a thing for bad girls."

"Don't get much badder than you." Qrow rolled his eyes.

"That's not even a word." Raven flicked her brother.

" **Stop massaging her muscles." Cardin said and Velvet dropped Raven's arm with a thud. He turned to Coco, "Wake her up."**

 **Coco put her hand on Raven's forehead, "Wake."**

 **Raven screamed as she jumped off the table. She leaned on a nearby wall with her chest heaving. She slowly turned around and saw Cardin and Zwei with guns drawn. Velvet and Russel had their blades ready. While Groot and Coco were doing nothing.**

" **Who the fuck are you guys?" Raven asked.**

"I've had an experience similar to that." Rwby said.

"Really?" Everyone, minus Juniper, said with surprise.

"Yeah. I once woke up in this room, and this dude tried to do all this gnarly shit to me with these strange tools like a tiny drill that he was bringing up to my face, and I was like, "Who the fuck are you?!" and he said, "I'm you fucking dentist, bitch! Now shut the fuck up and open your mouth!". And let me tell ya, Dr. James Packer DDS was tough, but fair." Rwby calmly said with a straight face. Yes, this really happened.

 **Velvet was staring out the windshield, "The entire time I knew Salem, she only ever had one goal. To bring balance to the universe by wiping out half of all life. She used to kill people planet by planet, massacre by massacre."**

" **Including my own." Russel added.**

" **If she gets all Six Infinity Gems, she could do it with a snap of his fingers like this." Velvet snapped.**

" **You seem to know a great deal about Salem." Raven played with the soup in her hands.**

" **Velvet is the daughter of Salem." Russel said.**

 **Raven looked up with a cold look in her eyes, "Your mother killed my brother." Raven stood up and Russel came to Velvet's side.**

"Oh shit." Qrow leaned forward in anticipation.

" **Stepmother technically." Cardin said, "And she hates her as much as you do."**

" **Families can be tough." Raven grabbed Velvet's shoulder, "Before my father died, he told me I that I had a half-sister that he imprisoned in Hel. Then she returned home and stabbed me in the eye." Cardin was jealously watching Raven rub Velvet's shoulder, "So I had to kill her. That's life though, isn't it, I guess. Goes around and round and…I feel your pain."**

" **I feel your pain as well." Cardin stepped in between them, "Because, I mean, it's not a competition but I've been through a lot. My father killed my mother." Raven slurped her soup as he spoke, "And then I had to kill my father. That was hard." Zwei was rolling his eyes in the background, "Probably even harder than having to kill a sister. Plus, I came out with both my eyes, which was…"**

"Oh, that was a cheap shot." Raven scoffed.

"Cardin never plays fair." Ruby shook her head.

"That's…" Cardin trailed off, "Okay yeah that's true."

" **I need a sword not a spoon." Raven stared at the spoon in her hand. She went to the back of the ship with the escape pod. "How do I open this thing? Is there some sort of, uh…four-digit code, maybe? Maybe a birthdate?"**

" **Uh, what are you doing?" Zwei asked.**

" **Taking your pod." Raven began pressing random buttons.**

 **Cardin cleared his throat, "No, you're not." He said in a forced deep voice. Everybody was more confused by the action itself more than the words, "You will not be taking our pod today, madam."**

"...…...PfftHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA oh shit *COUGHING/DYING* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! WHAT A FUCKING IDIOT!" Rwby burst out laughing at Cardin.

"Gods be praised please stop while you're a head me." Cardin groaned.

"Please don't!" Pyrrha could barely contain herself.

" **Uh…" Zwei stared at Cardin, "Cardin, are you making your voice deeper?"**

" **No." Cardin hesitated.**

" **You are." Russel said, "You're imitated the god-woman. It's weird."**

" **No, I'm not." Cardin turned to them.**

 **Coco gasped, "He just did it again!"**

" **This is my voice." Cardin lied.**

 **Raven's boot slam echoed across the ship, "Are you mocking me?" She stared down Cardin.**

" **Are you mocking me?" Cardin asked.**

" **Stop it." Raven said, "You did it again."**

" **She's trying to copy me." Cardin scoffed.**

" **I need you to stop doing that." Raven shifted.**

" **ENOUGH!" Velvet yelled.**

" **He's doing it first." Raven defended.**

" **We need to stop Salem." Velvet tried to bring the conversation back to the main topic, "Which means we need to find out where he's going next."**

" **Knowhere." Raven answered.**

" **She has to be going somewhere." Coco said innocently.**

"Yeah. No one can just go nowhere; they have to be somewhere." Juniper said.

" **No, no, Knowhere?" Cardin asked in his normal voice, "It's a place, we've been there, it sucks. Excuse me, that's our food."**

" **Not anymore." Raven confiscated their food.**

"Wow." Yang watched.

"Hey I'm a bandit." Raven shrugged.

" **Raven." Velvet asked, "Why would she go to Knowhere?"**

" **Because for years the Reality Gem has been safely stored there with a man called the Collector." Raven explained.**

" **If it's with the Collector, then it's not safe." Cardin said, "Only an idiot would give that man a gem."**

" **Or a genius." Raven countered.**

" **How do you know she's not going for one of the other gems?" Velvet asked.**

 **Raven sighed, "There are Six Gems out there. Salem already has the Power Gem because he stole it last week when she decimated Xandar." Cardin and Russel were at a loss for words, "She stole the Space Gem from me when she destroyed my ship and slaughtered half my people. The Time and Mind Gems are safe on Remnant. They're with the Inner Circle."**

" **The Inner Circle?" Cardin asked.**

" **Earth's Mightiest Heroes." Raven answered.**

" **Like Kevin Bacon?" Coco asked.**

"Who?" Juniper asked.

"Old actor." Glynda dismissed, "Had a bunch of great movies, and one weird as fuck TV show."

"It wasn't that bad." Taiyang interjected.

"Yeah it was." Glynda nodded.

"In areas." Taiyang partially agreed.

" **He may be on the team." Raven shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't been there in a while. As for the Soul Gem, well, no one's ever seen that. No one even knows where it is. Therefore, Salem can't get it. Therefore, she's going to Knowhere. Hence, she'll be getting the Reality Gem. You're welcome."**

" **Then we have to go to Knowhere now." Velvet said.**

" **Wrong." Raven objected, "Where we have to go is Nidavellir."**

" **That's a made-up word." Russel yelled.**

" **All words are made up." Raven countered.**

"That's true. Aren't all words made up?" Rwby said.

"Technically." Oobleck nodded.

" **Nidavellir is real?" Zwei jumped up onto the table, "Seriously? T-That place is a legend. They make the most powerful and horrific weapons to ever torment the universe. I would very much like to go there, please."**

"Me too!" Ruby vibrated in her seat.

"Ruby no!" Yang sprayed her with the bottle again.

"It's nice to see that happen to someone else." Blake snorted.

" **The raccoon is correct, and clearly the smartest among you." Raven applauded.**

" **Raccoon?" Zwei asked.**

" **Only Vernal the Dwarf can make me the weapon I need." Raven explained, "I assume you're the captain, sir."**

" **You're very perceptive." Zwei nodded.**

" **You seem like a noble leader." Raven continued, "Will you joint me on my quest to Nidavellir?"**

" **Let me just ask the captain." Zwei said, "Oh, wait a second, it's me! Yeah, I'll go."**

" **Wonderful." Raven smiled.**

" **Uh, except for that I'm the captain." Cardin pointed out.**

" **Quiet!" Raven dismissed.**

" **That's my backpack." Cardin pointed.**

" **Go sit down." Zwei dismissed him as well.**

" **Look this is my ship!" Cardin yelled, "And I'm not going to…wait, what kind of weapon are we talking about here?"**

" **The Salem killing kind." Raven stated.**

" **Don't you think we should all have a weapon like that?" Cardin asked.**

" **No." Raven shook her head, "You simply lack the strength to wield them. Your bodies would crumble as your minds collapsed into madness."**

" **Is it weird that I wanna do it even more now?" Zwei asked.**

" **Mmm, a little bit yeah." Raven nodded.**

" **If we don't go to Knowhere and Salem retrieves another gem she'll be too powerful to stop." Velvet said.**

" **She already is." Raven said.**

" **I got it figured out." Zwei cut in, "We got two ships and a large assortment of morons. So, me and Groot will go with the pirate angel here. And the morons will go to Knowhere to try and stop Salem. Cool? Cool."**

" **So cool." Raven smiled.**

" **For the record." Cardin told Zwei, "I know that you're going with her because it's where Salem isn't."**

" **You know you really shouldn't talk that way to your captain, Cardin." Zwei smirked, "Come on Groot. Put that game down. You'll rot your brain."**

" **I bid you farewell and good luck, morons." Raven waved.**

" **Bye." Coco waved.**

 **The pod ejected from the ship and took off into deep space.**

 **Back on Remnant, Ren opened the blinds to a stormy night. Blake was in bed with a cup of tea. Ren heard a high-pitched whine and grabbed his forehead.**

"Yeeah no. Aunt Nora and Uncle Ren are a better match up." Rwby said.

"Agreed." Juniper said.

"You've been pretty quiet through most of this movie Juniper." Pyrrha said.

"Oh, she's shy, quiet, socially awkward, kind, loveable, and protecting of her family and loved ones." Rwby stated. "And other then the 'kind, loveable, and protecting of her family and loved ones' part I'm the exact opposite."

"Stay away from my man!" Nora tried to tackle Blake but Ren and Pyrrha restrained her.

"It does make a little sense." Ruby thought it over, "They're both ninjas, they both like to read, and they both have two extremely loud and dangerous partners with pretty much an appetite for destruction."

" **Ren?" She asked, "Is it the gem again?"**

" **It's as if it's speaking to me." Ren regained his composure.**

" **What's it saying?" Blake jumped out of bed.**

" **I don't…I don't know." Ren shook his head, "But something."**

 **The blue gem in the middle of hie forehead whined again. Blake cupped his cheeks as he winced in pain.**

" **Hey." She cooed.**

 **He kissed her hand as he moved it over the gem, "Tell me what you feel."**

 **A red aura coated her hand as it sank into the gem, "I just feel you."**

 **Ren smiled as he kissed her. The two waited out the storm before taking a stroll. They stopped in front of a small diner.**

" **So, there's a 10am to Glasgow which would give us more time together before you went back." Blake said as they held hands.**

" **What if I missed that train?" Ren asked.**

" **There's an 11." Blake shrugged.**

" **What if I missed all the trains?" Ren asked again, "What if this time I didn't go back?"**

" **But you gave Ruby your word." Blake was confused.**

" **I'd rather give it to you." Ren defied.**

"You'd break your word?" Ozpin asked.

"For the woman I love?" Ren turned to Nora, "Without question."

"Love is the death of duty." Salem warned.

" **Well there are people expecting me too you know." Blake let go of his hand, "We both made promises."**

" **Not to each other." Ren shook his head, "Blake…for two years we've stolen these moments…trying to see if this could work and…I don't know. You know what I'm just going to speak for myself. I think…"**

" **It works." Blake finished for him.**

" **It works." Ren agreed, "Stay…stay with me."**

 **Before Blake could answer a tv in the diner caught her eye.**

" **Or not…if I'm overstepping…" Ren stopped when he saw what was on the tv.**

 **It was the aftermath on the attack in Vale. One clip showed Watts and Hazel.**

" **What are they?" Blake asked.**

" **What the gem was warning me about." Ren grimly stated.**

 **The next clip had the headline: "Ruby Rose missing."**

 **Ren kissed Blake's hand one last time, "I have to go."**

" **No." Blake shook her head, "Ren, if that's true then maybe going isn't the best idea."**

" **Blake I…" Ren was interrupted when a spear came out of his chest.**

"Oh shit!" Rwby yelled in surprise, she was not expecting that.

"Finally, some action!" Mercury cheered.

"I was starting to get a little bored." Emerald yawned.

" **REN!" Blake screamed and Tyrion threw his body off his spear. He turned to see Blake charging up an attack when Neo landed behind her and shot her into a nearby building. Neo kicked Ren onto his back, and Tyrion drove his spear onto the Mind Gem. As he was screaming Blake forced Neo and Tyrion off. She used her powers to lift him off the ground and fly away with him. Ren crashed into a building and began to fall. Blake landed first and used her powers to stop him.**

" **The blade." Ren leaned against a wall, "It stopped me from phasing."**

" **Is that even possible?" Blake examined the wound.**

" **It's not supposed to be." Ren strained, "My systems are failing." Ren's voice distorted as Blake was tiring to heal the wound, "I'm beginning to think we should've stayed in bed."**

"It should have been Aunt Nora in bed with you." Juniper said.

"Yeah yeah yeah." Yang nodded, "Jaune has a different girl in every reality. Ren and Blake are no exception."

"That's a surprisingly mature response." Weiss was taken back.

"Would you like it that if I had said Jaune bangs other girls in these worlds so Ren and Blake can bang each other?" Yang sarcastically asked.

"Shut up Yang." Blake said as she nervously looked at Nora who pointed at her and made a slitting throat gesture.

 **Ren shoved Blake away when Tyrion ran up to them. He grabbed Ren by the throat, and he took off into the sky. The two of them kept sending each other into buildings while Neo caught up to Blake. She swung her staff but hit the pillar instead. Blake kept dodging each swing while trying to run to Ren.**

 **Tyrion had Ren pinned to the wall, "Give up the stone and she lives!"**

 **Ren's counteroffer was to grab Tyrion and fly him into a nearby building. Blake was on the ground using her powers to make Neo miss every swing. Until Neo faked her out and shot her into a statue, as she was on the ground Neo jumped into the air and tried to stab Blake, but she used her powers to stop her staff just in time. Ren was still battling Tyrion on the roof, he forced him back and used the gem to shoot a beam of blue energy at him. He used his spear to block and refract the beam into four. One smaller one blew up a car next to Neo and Blake. Tyrion angled it so the beam hit Ren, forcing him against the wall. Blake blocked Neo again when she heard Ren screaming. She used her powers to throw Neo into the flaming wreckage, then flew up to Ren.**

" **Hands off." She growled as she blew Tyrion through the wall. She grabbed Ren and took off. Neo stood tall and shot them out of the sky. Blake grabbed Ren midair and the two fell through the roof of the train station, "Come on. Come on." Blake tried to get Ren on his feet, "Come on. You gotta get up." Only he couldn't, "You gotta get up. Hey. Hey. We have to go."**

 **Ren shook his head and caressed her cheek, "Please. Please leave."**

"I will say this, he does care." Juniper said.

"Of course, Renny cares!" Nora proclaimed.

" **You asked me to stay." Blake shook her head, "I'm staying."**

" **Please." Ren begged.**

 **Neo and Tyrion crashed through the roof. Blake stood tall and summoned a red ball of energy in each hand. Neo noticed something behind Blake as a train was passing through. Blake was curious and looked behind her at the shadowy figure. Neo threw her staff and the figure caught it. Stepping out of the shadows revealed it was Jaune. While Neo stared in shock, Nora flew in and kicked her through a café. She pressed a button on her wrist and four rockets launched from her wings at Tyrion. Jaune threw Nero's staff but missed Tyrion. However, Emerald came running out, catching the spear and using it to fight Tyrion one-on-one. She stabbed him in the gut and kicked him off. Before she could finish him off, Neo called her staff back, wrenching it out of Emerald's hands. Jaune rolled, picking up Tyrion's spear and blocking Neo's strike. Neo defended against Jaune and Emerald but was kicked next to Tyrion when Nora came flying back into the fray.**

"OH YEAH! Dad's here and he's kicking ass!" Rwby cheered.

"He has a beard." Pyrrha stated with a smile.

"Ever notice this is only the second reality with him having facial hair?" Yang asked.

Everyone thought it over, "Huh, interesting."

" **Get up!" Neo ordered.**

" **I can't." Tyrion shook his head as Nora drew a grenade launcher and pointed it at them.**

" **We don't want to kill you, but we will." Emerald warned.**

" **You'll never get the chance again." Neo recalled her and Tyrion back to their ship. Tyrion's staff flew out of Jaune's hand and went with them. They saw the ship through the hole in the ceiling and watched it leave. Once it did the three began toward Ren.**

" **Can you stand?" Nora helped him to his feet.**

" **Thank you, Captain." Ren's voice distorted again.**

" **Let's get you on the jet." Jaune nodded.**

" **Now I thought we had a deal." Emerald watched the cargo bay door close, "Stay close, check in, don't take any chances."**

" **I'm sorry." Blake shook her head, "We just wanted time."**

" **Where to, Fearless Leader?" Nora asked.**

" **Home." Jaune looked back at Ren and Blake.**

 **Meanwhile in space a certain bunny was having a dream.**

" **We'll be safe." A mother held her child as a massacre took place outside, "We'll be safe."**

 **A nearby explosion made the little bunny scream and her mother quickly covered her mouth. That's when a Chitauri solider kicked down the door. Outside a Chitauri Serpent was above shooting wildly into the city. Rabbits were running and screaming while the population was rounded up and divided.**

" **Mother!" Tiny Velvet screamed as she was dragged away, "Where's my mother!"**

"Oh, Gods I couldn't even imagine something so horrible" Rwby shuddered.

"A whole planet of bunny faunus?" Ilia gasped.

"So, the faunus are aliens?" Adam asked, "I still have no idea how to react to this."

"You're not the only one." Ghira gasped.

"It is a little cool when you think about it." Velvet thought it over, "We're aliens. Take me to your leader!"

"How long have you been waiting to say that?" Coco asked.

"You have no idea." Velvet giggled.

" **Choose a side!" Watts declared, "Or die!"**

" **Mother!" Little Velvet fought against her captor.**

" **One side is a revelation." Watts continued, "The other an honor known only to a few."**

 **Velvet came face-to-face with Salem.**

" **What's wrong little one?" Salem asked.**

" **My mother." Velvet said, "Where is my mother?"**

 **Salem knelt, "What's your name?"**

" **Velvet." She introduced herself.**

" **You're quite the fighter Velvet." Salem smiled and extended her hand, "Come, let me help you."**

 **Velvet's tiny hand barely wrapped around Salem's finger. She led her to a gazebo. Salem knelt again and held out a knife with a blade on each end.**

" **Look." She balanced it on her finger, "Pretty, isn't it? Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. Too much to one side or the other…" Salem handed the blade to Velvet, "Here. You try."**

" **Now go in peace." Watts said as Velvet took the blade, "And meet your maker."**

 **The gun fire and screaming began. Velvet turned to look but Salem stopped her.**

Rwby and Juniper didn't say anything, they just growled at what was basically a war crime. The audience remained silent as well as they watched Salem sink her claws into Velvet's psyche.

" **Uh-uh." Salem's massive hand blocked her vision, "Concentrate."**

 **Velvet balanced the blade on her index finger.**

" **There." Salem smiled, "You got it."**

 **Velvet woke up and grabbed the blade from her childhood.**

" **Velvet." Cardin walked in, "Do you know if these grenades are the blow-off-your-junk kind or the gas kind? Because I was thinking about hanging a couple on my belt right here. But I don't want to if…"**

" **I need to ask a favor." Velvet cut him off.**

" **Yeah sure." Cardin put the grenades on the table.**

" **One way or another the path that we're on leads to Salem." Velvet began.**

" **Which is what the grenades are for." He juggled one, "Uh." He dropped it, "I'm sorry. What's the favor?"**

" **If things go wrong…" Velvet looked out the window into space, "If Salem gets me…I want you to promise me…you'll kill me."**

" **What?" Cardin couldn't believe what she was asking.**

"What?!" Rwby and Juniper gasped. Did she seriously ask that?

"She knows where the Soul Gem is." Glynda said.

"How can you tell?" Pyrrha asked.

"Why else would she be asking this?" Glynda asked.

" **I know something she doesn't." Velvet returned to looking out the window, "And if she finds it out, the entire universe could be at risk."**

" **What do you know?" Cardin asked with a serious tone.**

" **If I tell you you'd know too." Velvet paced around.**

" **If it's so important." Cardin stepped in front of her, "Shouldn't I?"**

" **Only if you wanna die." Velvet looked him in the eye.**

" **Why does somebody always have to die in this scenario?" Cardin asked.**

" **Just…" Velvet shook her head, "Trust me, and possibly kill me."**

" **I mean." Cardin shrugged, "I'd like to. I really would. But you…"**

 **Velvet covered his mouth, "Swear to me. Swear to me on your mother."**

 **Cardin's face fell as he stared into Velvet's misty eyes, "Okay."**

 **Tears began to fall as she pressed her lips against his. They heard a loud crunching and turned to see Russel watching them.**

" **Oh." Velvet sighed.**

" **Dude!" Cardin glared, "How long have you been standing there?"**

" **An hour." Russel shrugged.**

" **An hour?" Cardin asked.**

"Hahahahaha. That lifted my spirts." Juniper chuckled.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Coco stood up, "Hold the fuck up!"

"Coco." Velvet sighed, "Different universe remember?"

"No no no!" Coco began to complain but Velvet forced her to sit back down.

"Thank you." Weiss cleaned out her ears.

" **Are you serious?" Velvet asked.**

" **I have mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still that I become invisible to the eye." Russel explained with confidence in said ability, "Watch."**

" **You're eating a zargnut." Cardin watched as Russel was still visible.**

" **But my movement was so slow that's it's imperceptible." Cardin and Velvet shook their heads.**

" **Mmm, no." Cardin said.**

" **I'm sure I'm invisible." Russel continued crunching on the zargnuts.**

" **Hi Russel." Coco came into the room.**

" **Damn it." Russel pouted and exited.**

"You're not invisible." Rwby said.

"Makes you wonder…" Nora pondered, "What if someone had an invisibility semblance?"

All the girls visibly shuddered at the thought. While Neptune and Mercury were silently complaining about not having invisibility semblance.

 **Their ship came in range of a…colossal didn't even come close to the size of the skull drifting about in space. The hollowed-out head of a being more ancient than time itself. They flew into its eye and docked in one of the many ports the skull had.**

"Damn! Imagine what it took to kill something like THAT!" Rwby said in awe.

"What even is that?" Weiss gasped.

"Something older than time…" Ozpin stared slack jawed at the sight.

"Now the only question becomes what could kill something like that." Salem picked her jaw up from the ground, "That sort of power is…unimaginable."

" **This place looks deserted." Cardin noticed how dark it was.**

" **Picking up movement in the third quadrant." Russel reported.**

" **Yep, I'm picking that up too." Cardin acknowledged, "Let's put down right here."**

 **Cardin, Russel, Coco, and Velvet exited the ship. They made their way to The Collector's Lair.**

" **I don't have it!" The Collector's voice echoed through the lair.**

 **Cardin motioned for his team to get down and move slowly.**

" **Everyone in the galaxy knows you'd sell your own brother if you thought it would add even the slightest trinket to your pathetic collection." Salem's voice entered the mix.**

"Really? What a dick." Rwby said.

"That voice…" Ozpin closed his eyes to focus on the voice.

"It couldn't be…" Glynda focused as well.

"I'm having a weird sense of dejavu." Salem recognized the voice almost immediately.

 **Cardin motioned for everyone to stop, but everyone kept moving any way.**

" **I know you have the Reality Gem Leo." Salem had one heel on his chest, "Giving it to me will spare you a great deal of suffering."**

" **I told you." Leo strained as Salem dug her heel into his chest, "I sold it. Why would I lie?"**

" **I imagine it's like breathing for you." Salem leaned forward.**

" **Like suicide?" Leo smiled.**

" **You do understand." Salem smiled as well, "Not even you would surrender something so precious."**

" **I didn't know what it was." Leo shook his head.**

" **Then you're more of a fool than I took you for." Salem sighed.**

" **It's her." Russel nodded.**

"No shit." Rwby said while Juniper ate a fistful of popcorn. The audience could feel an intense action scene coming.

" **Last chance coward." Salem warned as she pressed her heel deeper into his chest, "Where's the gem?"**

" **Today…" Russel whispered.**

" **Russel." Cardin whispered, "RUSSEL!"**

" **She pays for the deaths of my wife and daughter." Russel ignored Cardin.**

" **Russel wait!" Cardin whispered but Russel drew his daggers anyway, "Not yet! Not yet!" He jumped in front of him, "Russel, Russel, Russel. Listen to me. She doesn't have the gem yet. If we get it, then we can stop her. We have to get the gem first. Yeah."**

" **No." Russel shook his head, "No. For Ovette, for Camaria!"**

" **Sleep!" Coco's glasses glowed as she grabbed the back of Russel's head. Nobody grabbed Russel on the other hand as he fell forward with a loud crash.**

"That was cool, but someone should have caught him." Juniper said before taking a sip of her soda.

"Ooh." Coco examined her glasses, "Neat."

 **Salem threw Leo into a glass collector box.**

" **Velvet, Coco, you go right." Cardin instructed. Velvet took off, "The other right."**

 **Velvet came down with a swing, Salem sidestepped. Velvet swung and Salem dodged again. She thrusted forward and Salem grabbed her sword and broke it with her hand. Velvet drove the broken end into Salem's throat, then pulled her childhood blade and drove it into Salem's chest.**

" **Why?" Salem asked holding her neck wound and pulling out the small knife. Salem fell onto her back as Velvet started to cry, "Why you daughter?" Velvet dropped her sword, fell to her knees, and began bawling.**

" **That was quick." Cardin was surprised and Russel was just as shocked.**

"Kind of anticlimactic." Rwby said.

"That's it?" Nora jumped.

"That can't be it!" Tyrion screamed.

Salem on the other hand smiled darkly, she knew what was going on.

 **The Collector began clapping wildly, "MAGNIFICENT! MAGNIFICENT! MAGNIFICENT!"**

" **Is that sadness I sense in you, daughter?" Salem's voice echoed through Knowhere, "In my heart I knew you still cared." A yellow light consumed Knowhere, the Collector waved as he vanished in a yellow flash, and Knowhere was burning. "No one ever knows for sure. Reality is often disappointing." In a flash of yellow Salem revealed herself, "That is, it was. Now…" she admired the yellow gem in her ring knuckle. "Reality can be whatever I want."**

"Whoa... That's messed up when you think of it." Juniper said.

Salem leaned back and reveled in the glory. Tyrion became less frigidity as he sat back down. Cinder smirked as well while the rest of the audience grimaced.

" **You knew I'd come." Velvet stood up.**

" **I counted on it." Salem nodded, "There's something we need to discuss little one."**

 **Velvet went for her fixed sword, but Salem grabbed her by her hair and restrained her.**

" **SALEM!" Russel screamed and charged at her.**

 **Salem raised her gauntlet and shot a ball of yellow at Russel. His entire body became a pile of cubes. Coco was shocked, Salem turned the gauntlet to her.**

" **NO!" Velvet screamed but Salem already turned her body into a slinky.**

" **Let her go Grimace!" Cardin pointed his gun at Salem.**

" **Cardin." Velvet begged.**

" **I told you to go right." Cardin told her.**

"Really? An I told you so right now?!" Rwby said. She HATES it when someone (particularly her sister) says 'I told you so' to her.

"Time and place dude." Cardin rolled his eyes at his other self.

"What better time than right in front of a madwoman?" Ruby sighed.

" **Now?" Velvet cried, "Really?"**

" **You let her go!" Cardin yelled at Salem.**

" **Ah the boyfriend." Salem chuckled.**

" **No." Cardin shook his head, "Like to think of myself more as a witch-killing-long-term-booty-call. Let her go."**

"That's a title I can get behind." Cardin smiled.

" **Cardin." Velvet begged.**

" **I'm going to blow those hair tentacles right off your head!" Cardin kept his gun on Salem.**

" **Not her." Velvet said. Cardin kept his gun on Salem, "You promised. You promised." He lowered his gun to Velvet.**

" **Oh daughter." Salem chuckled, "You expect too much from him." Cardin and Salem stared each other down, "She's asked, hasn't she? Do it. Hmmm." Salem pushed Velvet closer to Cardin, "DO IT!"**

"DON'T DO IT!" Rwby and Juniper yelled at the same time.

"The fate of the universe is at stake." Pyrrha said, "You have to."

"I can't do it." Cardin shook his head.

"You promised." Velvet said.

"Fuck the promise." Cardin defied, "I can't kill the one I love."

"See?" Salem smirked.

" **I told you to go right!" Cardin wept.**

" **I love you more than anything." Velvet smiled.**

" **I love you too." Cardin began hyperventilating. He and Velvet closed their eyes as he pulled the trigger. Except, bubbles came out. They opened their eyes and saw Salem holding the gauntlet over Velvet's head. The Reality Gem glowing bright yellow.**

" **I like him." The Space Gem wrapped them in a purple fog and teleported them away. With the Reality Gem gone, Russel and Coco slowly returned to normal. Cardin on the other hand picked up Velvet's sword.**

"Told you so." Cardin sighed.

 **The jet landed at the Inner Circle Headquarters.**

" **Still no word from Ren?" Secretary Ironwood spoke to Weiss.**

"Does Aunt Weiss seriously work for that jackass Irondick?" Rwby asked.

"Excuse me?" Ironwood said.

"The you from our world tried to kidnap us and our dad when you found out about our semblances. You wanted to replicate them for stronger soldiers for Atlas." Juniper said.

"What?" Pyrrha growled out.

"Yeah a lot of good it did him. We ended up destroying 60% of Atlas' military and like, 30% of the Kingdom. Ironwood himself was hurt SO bad that he's now considered brain dead. Aunt Weiss was pissed for a little while, but she was still happy that we were ok." Rwby said.

" **Satellites lost him somewhere over Edinburgh." Weiss shrugged.**

" **On a stolen Quinjet with four of the world's most wanted criminals." Ironwood snapped.**

" **You know they're only criminals because you've chosen to call them that, right, sir?" Weiss snapped back.**

" **Gods be praised Schnee your talent for horseshit rivals my own." Ironwood sighed.**

" **If it weren't for those Accords Ren would've been right here." Weiss stood her ground.**

" **I remember your signature on those papers, Colonel." Ironwood stood up from his desk.**

" **That's right." Weiss nodded and gestured to the cybernetic augments to her legs, "I'm pretty sure I've paid for that."**

" **You have second thoughts?" Ironwood asked.**

" **Not anymore." Weiss looked at the door and saw Jaune step in.**

" **Mr. Secretary." Jaune nodded.**

" **You got some nerve." Ironwood stepped up to them, "I'll give you that."**

" **You could use some of that right now." Emerald nodded.**

" **The world's on fire." Ironwood paced, "And you think all is forgiven?"**

" **I'm not looking for forgiveness." Jaune shook his head, "And I'm way past asking permission. Remnant just lost her best defender. So, we're here to fight and if you wanna stand in our way we'll fight you too."**

" **Arrest them." Ironwood ordered Weiss.**

" **All over it." Weiss pressed a button and Ironwood disappeared. Turns out he was just a hologram the entire time, "That's a court-marshal. It's great to see you Cap."**

"HAHA! Get fucked Ironcock!" Rwby said.

"He just threatened a headmaster." Yang crossed her legs, "That was kinda hot."

"Yang no!" Ruby sprayed her with a bottle.

"AH NOT THE HAIR!" Yang screamed.

Velvet handed Coco a bottle of water before she could get a wiseass comment out. Pyrrha on the other hand looked at her 'daughters' and decided, she already won.

" **You too Weiss." Jaune hugged her.**

" **Hey." Weiss hugged Emerald, "Wow. You guys…really look like crap. Must have been a rough couple of years."**

" **Yeah." Nora nodded, "Well, the hotels weren't exactly five star."**

" **I think you look great." Oscar stepped in, "Yeah, I'm back."**

" **Hi, Oscar." Emerald smiled.**

" **Em." Oscar nodded.**

" **This is awkward." Nora whispered.**

"Are Oscar and that Emerald bitch dating?" Rwby asked.

"Yeah anyone else find this romance incredibly forced?" Nora asked.

"You're telling me." Emerald rubbed her eyes, "And I'm the one in the incredibly forced romance. Who you calling a bitch?!"

"Emerald calm yourself." Cinder waved her off.

"And Cinders a slut." Rwby said.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Cinder yelled.

" **So, we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Weiss asked.**

" **And they can clearly find us." Blake added.**

" **We need all hands-on deck." Oscar said, "Where's Cinder?"**

" **After the whole Accords situation, she and Roman took a deal." Emerald explained, "It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest."**

" **Who's Roman?" Oscar asked.**

" **Ant-Man." Jaune said.**

" **There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Woman?" Oscar was clearly in shock, "Okay, look. Salem has the biggest army in the universe, and she is not gonna stop until she gets…Ren's gem."**

" **Then we have to protect it." Emerald said.**

" **No, we have to destroy it." Ren said leaning against the wall, "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head. About its nature. But also, its composition, I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source…something very similar to its own signature, perhaps…its molecular integrity could fail."**

" **And you with it." Blake added, "We're not having this conversation."**

" **Eliminating the gem is the only way to be certain that Salem can't get it." Ren tried to reason with her.**

" **That's too high a price." Blake said.**

 **Ren shook his head, "Only you have the power to pay it." Blake wrenched herself free of Ren's grip, "Salem threatens half the universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating her."**

" **But it should." Jaune spoke up, "We don't trade lives Ren."**

"That definitely sounds like dad. No matter the cause, sacrificing one life is still one sacrifice to many." Juniper praised.

"The Balance of the Universe is at stake." Ren argued.

"It's still one too many." Juniper stood her ground.

"It is my life." Ren defied, "I chose to lay down my life as a hunter. This is no different."

" **Captain seventy years ago you laid down your life to save how many millions of people?" Ren asked, "Tell me why is this any different?"**

" **Because you might have a choice." Oscar spoke up, "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Ren, Ultron, Ruby, Me, the Gem. All of them mixed together, all of them learning from one another."**

" **You're saying Ren isn't just the gem?" Blake asked.**

" **I'm saying that if we take out the gem there's still a whole lot of Ren left." Oscar simplified, "Maybe even the best parts."**

" **Can we do that?" Emerald asked.**

" **Not me, not here." Oscar shook his head.**

" **Well you better find someone and somewhere fast." Weiss declared, "Ironwood isn't going to just let you have your old rooms back."**

" **I know somewhere." Jaune thought it over.**

 **Ilia was walking over a hill with Kali behind her.**

" **The Kingsguard and the Dora Milaje have been alerted." Kali reported to Ilia.**

" **And the Border Tribe?" Ilia asked.**

" **Those that are left." Kali nodded.**

" **Send word to the Jabari as well." Ilia commanded, "Sun likes a good fight."**

" **And what of this one?" Kali gestured to a hut in the distance.**

" **This one may be tired of war." Ilia said, "But the Red Kraken has rested long enough."**

 **Two men behind Kali and Ilia hefted a large crate onto a broken cart. Pyrrha with her hair down and one arm approached and saw the mechanical arm inside the crate.**

"Mom has one arm? What the hell happened?" Rwby questioned while Juniper looked at the metal arm on screen and looked at her own arms and legs, it was a little spooky that they looked so similar.

"Red Kraken?" Pyrrha asked, "There's a title I've never heard before."

"Interesting isn't it?" Nora asked.

"Considering how many different nicknames we all have across the multiverse it doesn't really surprise me." Ruby shrugged.

" **Where's the fight?" Pyrrha asked examining the red and gold appendage.**

" **On its way." Ilia sighed.**

 **Back in space, Glynda was suspended upside down with crystal shards surrounding her. Watts walked up to her and looked her in the eye.**

" **In all the time I've served Salem." He began, "I have never failed her. If I were to reach our rendezvous on Titan with the Time Gem still attached to your vaguely irritating person there would be…judgement." The crystal shards inched closer and on pierced her cheek, "Give me the gem." He used his telekinesis to push more into her skin.**

 **On the level above Ruby looked down and saw everything. Behind her, Glynda's Cloak of Levitation tapped her on the shoulder. Ruby turned ready to fire and the Cloak raised its coattails in surrender.**

" **Wow you're a seriously loyal piece of outerwear, aren't you?" Ruby asked.**

" **Yeah uh speaking of loyalty…" Yang descended from the roof.**

" **What the?" Ruby gasped.**

" **I know what you're going to say." Yang raised her hands.**

" **You should not be here." Ruby said.**

" **I was gonna go home." Yang shrugged.**

" **I don't wanna hear it." Ruby shook her head.**

" **But it was such a long way down and I thought about you on the way…"**

" **And now I gotta hear it."**

" **I was kinda stuck to the side of the ship, and this suit is ridiculously intuitive, by the way."**

" **Gods be praised."**

" **So, if anything, it's kinda your fault that I'm here."**

 **Ruby's eye twitched, "What did you just say?"**

" **I-I-I-I take that back?" Yang chuckled, "Now I'm in space."**

" **Yeah." Ruby snapped, "Right where I didn't want you to be. This isn't Coney Island. This isn't a field trip. This is a one-way ticket. You hear me? Don't pretend you thought this through."**

" **I did think this through." Yang argued.**

"When does Aunt Yang ever think things through?" Rwby said.

"All the time." Yang argued with crossed arms.

Ruby burst into laughter. Weiss contained her laughter, while Blake just smiled. Given who Blake is, she may as well be rolling on the floor.

"Oh, screw you guys." Yang pouted.

Pyrrha and Ren turned to Nora who ninety percent of the time was involved with Yang's shenanigans.

" **No, you didn't." Ruby shook her head, "You could not have possibly thought this through."**

" **You're my little sister!" Yang snapped, "You can't honestly expect me to stand by and let you go into space! When you went into that wormhole all those years ago, I thought you weren't coming back. I have nightmares where that portal closes and you're trapped out there, and I'm down here do nothing."**

 **Ruby embraced her sister with shaky breaths, then she looked down, "Come on. We got a situation. See her down there? She's in trouble. What's your plan? Go."**

" **Um…" Yang knelt down, "Okay, okay…uh…okay. You remember that scary movie we used to watch, Aliens?"**

"Predator was better." Ruby said.

"What?!" Yang was horrified.

"She's right." Pyrrha agreed, "It's perfect cheese."

"Ain't got time to bleed." Nora imitated with a gruff accent.

"Get to the chopper!" Weiss yelled.

"You one ugly motherfucker." Blake whispered.

"Get away from her you bitch!" Yang yelled.

"Fair enough." Ruby thought about probably the best moment in Sci-Fi history, where Ripley showed up in a giant mech suit.

 **Glynda screamed as Watts pushed the crystals deep into her flesh.**

" **Painful, aren't they?" Watts asked, "They were originally designed for microsurgery. Any one of them…" Ruby landed behind them, "Could end your friend's life in an instant."**

" **I gotta tell you she's not really my friend." Ruby shrugged, "Saving her life is more of a professional courtesy."**

" **You've saved nothing." Watts brought out two giant pieces of machinery, "Your powers are inconsequential compared to mine."**

" **Yeah but Yangy's seen more movies." A missile shot out from Ruby's shoulder and blew a hole in the side of the ship.**

 **The vacuum sucked out Watts and his weapons, but also Glynda. The Cloak of Levitation flew in and grabbed her before she could leave the ship. But the pull was too great, Yang jumped down and used her web to grab her. Four mechanical spider legs came out of her back and stopped them from leaving the ship.**

" **YES!" Yang cheered, "Wait what are those?"**

"OH, gods be praised did she seriously mention THAT meme?" Juniper groaned.

"My favorite parody of that meme will be when he screams what are those at two extremely hot bikini babes and he's clearly talking about their breasts." Pyrrha giggled.

Everybody looked at Pyrrha.

"Something you wanna tell us, mom?" Rwby asked.

"What?" Pyrrha shrugged, "I can admire a woman's body and a good joke."

 **Yang pulled Glynda back into the ship and Ruby quickly sealed the breach in the hull. Watts died in the cold emptiness and drifted off into the distance.**

" **Hey, we haven't officially met." Yang extended her hand at the Cloak of Levitation. It flew off to find Glynda, "Cool."**

"What a jerk." Yang said.

" **We gotta turn this ship around." Glynda said as Ruby's suit went back into her chest.**

" **Yeah." Ruby scoffed, "Now she wants to run. Great plan."**

" **No, I want to protect the gem." Glynda said as the Cloak of Levitation returned to her shoulders.**

" **And I want you to thank me." Ruby looked out into space, "Now. Go ahead I'm listening."**

" **For what?" Glynda asked, "Nearly blasting me into space?"**

" **Who just saved your magical ass?" Ruby snipped, "Me."**

"I never thought I'd see the day where Ruby snaps at a teacher." Weiss was shocked.

"She had it coming." Ruby crossed her arms and Glynda raised an eyebrow.

" **I seriously don't know how you fit your head inside that helmet." Glynda shook her head.**

" **Admit it, you should've ducked out when I told you to." Ruby paced, "I tried to bench you. You refused."**

" **Unlike everyone else in your life, I don't work for you." Glynda shrugged.**

" **And due to that fact, we're now in a flying doughnut billions of miles from Remnant with no backup." Ruby continued.**

" **I'm backup." Yang raised her hand.**

" **No, you're a stowaway." Ruby said, "The adults are talking."**

"You're younger than me." Yang eyed her sister.

"Age wise sure." Ruby agreed, "But I'm more mature than you."

"Cookies." Yang dared.

Ruby saw this ploy and squinted her eyes, "Hair products."

"Oh boy this is getting interesting." Weiss watched with morbid intrigue.

"I'll say." Blake was equally interested.

" **I'm sorry, I'm confused as to the relationship here." Glynda stepped between them, "What is she, your ward?"**

" **I'm her sister." Yang extended her hand, "I'm Yang by the way."**

" **Doctor Goodwitch." Glynda shook her hand.**

" **Oh, you're using our made-up names." Yang nodded, "I'm Spider-Woman, then."**

Yang snorted, "To be fair your name does sound awfully made up."

Glynda sighed, oh how many times had she heard that growing up.

" **This ship is self-correcting its course." Ruby crossed her arms, "Thing's on autopilot."**

" **Can we control it?" Glynda asked, "Fly us home?"**

 **Ruby didn't answer.**

" **Rose?" Glynda grabbed her attention.**

" **Yeah?" Ruby looked back at her.**

" **Can you get us home?" Glynda asked.**

" **Yeah I heard you." Ruby nodded, "I'm thinking I'm not so sure we should."**

" **Under no circumstances can we bring the Time Gem to Salem." Glynda stepped closer to Ruby. I don't think you quite understand what's at stake here."**

" **What?" Ruby got right in Glynda's face, "It's you who doesn't understand that Salem has been inside my head for six years. Since she sent an army to Vale and now, she's back! And I don't know what to do! So, I'm not so sure if it's a better plan to fight her on our turf or hers, but you saw what they did, what they can do. At least on her turf she's not expecting it. So, I say we take the fight to her. Doctor. Do you concur?"**

" **All right Rose." Glynda nodded, "We go to her. But you have to understand: if it comes to saving you, the spider, or the Time Gem I will not hesitate to let either of you die. I can't, because the universe depends on it."**

"The hell bitch?! You're just going to let them die!?" Rwby yelled at Goodwitch, both on screen and in the audience.

"The fate of the universe is at stake." Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose, "How many times must this be repeated?"

" **Nice." Ruby patted her shoulder, "Good, moral compass. We're straight." She went to Yang and tapped both her shoulders, "All righty Yang. You're now part of the Inner Circle."**

" **That was a nice speech by the way." Yang smiled.**

 **On the other side of space more doughnut ships were returning to the master ship. Inside Velvet was in a room were Salem walked in with a bowl of soup in her hand.**

" **I thought you might be hungry." Salem extended the bowl to Velvet.**

 **She took the bowl and threw it against Salem's throne, "I always hated that chair."**

" **So, I've been told." Salem nodded, "Even so, I'd hoped you'd sit in it one day."**

" **I hated this room." Velvet hissed, "This ship. I hated my life."**

" **You told me that too." Salem watched Velvet pace, "Every day. For almost twenty years." She sat on the step right before her throne.**

" **I was a child when you took me." Velvet stopped but didn't turn to face Salem.**

" **I saved you." Salem said.**

" **No." Velvet turned to face her, "No. we were happy on my home planet."**

" **Going to be hungry?" Salem asked, "Scrounging for scraps? Your planet was on the brink of collapse. I'm the one who stopped that. Do you know what's happened since then? The children born have known nothing but full bellies and clear skies. It's a paradise."**

" **Because you murdered half the planet." Velvet hissed.**

" **A small price to pay for salvation." Salem stood her ground.**

" **You're insane." Velvet shook her head.**

"I couldn't agree more." Juniper deadpanned.

" **Little one it's a simple calculus." Salem tried to explain, "This universe is finite, its resources finite. If life is left unchecked, life will cease to exist. It needs correction."**

" **You don't know that!" Velvet screamed.**

" **I'm the only one who knows that." Salem rolled her eyes, "At least I'm the only one with the will to act on it. For a time, you had that same will as you fought by my side daughter."**

" **I'm not your daughter." Velvet looked up at Salem, "Everything I hate about myself you taught me."**

" **And in doing so made you the fiercest woman in the galaxy." Salem had no hint of remorse, "That's why I trusted you to find the Soul Gem."**

" **I'm sorry I disappointed you." Velvet looked down.**

 **Salem sighed, "I am disappointed, but no because you didn't find it. But because you did, and you lied."**

 **Salem led her to a room where Penny was floating in the middle of the room with her cybernetics stretched out.**

"Holy hell..." Rwby whispered in horror.

" **Penny!" Velvet gasped, "Don't do this."**

" **Some time ago your sister snuck aboard this ship and tried to kill me." Salem explained.**

" **Please don't do this." Velvet begged.**

" **She very nearly succeeded." Salem continued, "So I brought her here. To talk." Salem made a fist and began stretching out Penny's cybernetics, causing her screams to echo through the ship.**

" **Stop. Stop it." Velvet begged trying to lower the gauntlet, "I swear to you on my life. I never found the Soul Gem."**

 **Salem looked at the Chitauri at the terminal, it pressed a button and a voice came out:** _ **"Accessing memory files. You know what she's about to do. She's finally ready and she's going for the gems. All of them. She'll never get them all. She will! She can't Penny. Because I found the map to the Soul Gem and I burned it to ash. I burned it."**_

" **You're strong." Salem smiled, "Me. You're generous, me. But I never taught you to lie. That's why you're so bad at it. Where is the Soul Gem?"**

 **Penny shook her head, silently begging Velvet not to tell. Salem closed her fist again and the screams resumed.**

" **VORMIR!" Velvet screamed and Salem stopped torturing Penny. Velvet went to her and caressed her cheek, "The Gem is on Vormir."**

" **Show me." Salem commanded.**

 **Deep in the far reaches of space, Raven, Zwei, and Groot were traveling to the coordinates that Raven had given them.**

" **I am Groot."**

" **Tinkle in the cup." Zwei responded, "We're not looking. What's there to see? What's a twig? Everybody's seen a twig before."**

" **I am Groot."**

" **Tree, pour what's in the cup out into space and go in the cup again." Raven instructed.**

" **You speak Groot?" Zwei asked.**

" **Yes, they taught is as an elective on Asgard." Raven nodded.**

"Can I learn that language, it would be interesting to know what he is saying." Juniper said with Nora agreeing with her.

" **I am Groot."**

" **You'll know when we're close." Raven sat down, "Nidavellir's forge harnesses the blazing power of a neutron star. It's the birthplace of my sword. It's truly awesome."**

 **Zwei looked back at Raven, then unbuckled, "Okay. Time to be the captain." Zwei started nonchalantly pressing buttons, "So, dead brother huh? Yeah, that could be annoying."**

" **Well he's been dead before." Raven shrugged, "But now this time I think it really might be true."**

" **And you said your sister and your dad?" Zwei asked.**

" **Both dead." Raven shook her head.**

" **But still got a mom though?" Zwei asked.**

" **Killed by a dark elf." Raven said.**

" **Best friend?" Zwei was slowly losing hope in this conversation.**

" **Stabbed through the heart." Raven shook her head.**

"It's like everyone in her life just dies." Rwby said, a little amazed by Raven's bad luck.

"MAAAAAAYBE it's a good thing that mom left us when I was a baby." Yang said.

"Seems like this would be a better role for you little brother." Raven snarked.

"Oh, shut up." Qrow glared.

" **You sure you're up for this particular murder mission?" Zwei carefully asked.**

" **Absolutely." Raven forced a chuckle, "Rage, vengeance, anger, loss, regret they're all tremendous motivators. They really clear the mind. So, I'm good to go."**

" **Yeah." Zwei nodded, "But this is Salem we're talking about. She's the toughest there is."**

" **Well she's never fought me." Raven continued her façade.**

" **Yeah she has." Zwei spoke the truth.**

" **She's never fought me twice." Raven continued, "And I'm getting a new sword don't forget."**

" **It better be some sword." Zwei mumbled.**

" **You know I'm 1500 years old." Raven sighed, "I've killed twice as many enemies as that and every one of them would've rather killed me, but none succeeded. I'm only alive because fate wants me alive. Salem is just the latest in a long line of bastards and he'll be the latest to feel my vengeance. Fate wills it so."**

" **And what if you're wrong?" Zwei asked.**

 **Raven hesitated before answering, "If I'm wrong then…what more could I lose?" Raven wiped the tear she shed, she returned to looking out the window.**

"That's sad but true. You can't lose anything if you got nothing left." Juniper sadly said.

"She's the last of her people." Ghira said, "She has something to fight for. She must survive for the future of her people."

" **I could lose a lot." Zwei mumbled, "Me, personally, I could lose a lot." He pulled an eyeball from his pocket, "Well, if fate does want you to kill that crapsack, you're going to need more than one stupid eyeball."**

" **What's this?" Raven asked.**

" **What's it looks like?" Zwei asked with sarcasm dripping from his tongue, "Some jerk lost a bet with me on Contraxia."**

" **He gave you his eye?" Raven stared at the eye.**

"How drunk was he to give up his own eye?" Rwby wondered out loud.

" **No, he gave me 100credits." Zwei went back to steering, "I snuck into his room later that night and stole his eye."**

"I like this dog." Emerald snickered.

"He would make a great addition to the team." Roman nudged Neo.

" **Thank you, sweet raccoon." Raven removed her eyepatch and slipped the eye into her socket.**

" **Oh." Zwei cringed, "I would've washed that. The only way I could sneak it off Contraxia was up my…" the ship's alarms went off, "Hey we're here!"**

"Ewwww." The audience cringed while Raven gaged.

 **Raven's new eye wasn't centered. She slapped the side of her head a few times before it was properly aligned.**

" **I don't think this thing works." Raven blinked a few times to make the eye center finally, "Everything seems dark."**

" **It ain't the eye." Zwei flew past a comet and found the star burned out.**

" **Something's wrong." Raven stood up, "The star is out, the rings are frozen…"**

"What happened?" Juniper asked.

"Something bad." Nora sighed, "Like everything else in this reality."

 **Zwei flew inside Nidavellir, "Hope these dwarves are better at forging then they are at cleaning. Maybe they realized that they live in a junk pile in the middle of space."**

" **This forge hasn't gone dark in centuries." Raven looked around.**

" **You said Salem had a gauntlet, right?" Zwei looked at a particular mold.**

" **Yes why?" Raven continued to look around.**

" **Look anything like that?" Zwei pointed at the prototype gauntlet.**

"What the hell? The good guys made a weapon for the bad guy?" Juniper gasped. Good guys weren't supposed to help bad guys.

"I have a feeling that it's a collector situation." Ozpin explained remembering Leo under Salem's heel, "Vernal was probably forced to."

" **I am Groot."**

" **Go back to the pod." Raven ordered.**

 **A metal fist sent Raven into a nearby cauldron. While a foot sent Zwei and Groot away.**

" **VERNAL WAIT!" Raven held out her hands, "STOP!"**

" **Raven?" Vernal held her fist.**

" **What happened here?" Raven asked.**

" **You were supposed to protect us!" Vernal accused, "ASGARD WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US!"**

" **Asgard is destroyed." Raven stood up, "Vernal, the glove, what did you do?"**

 **Vernal collapsed next to Raven, "300 dwarves lived on this ring. I thought if I did what she asked, they'd be safe. I made what she wanted. A device capable of harnessing the power of the gems. Then she killed everyone anyway. All except me. "Your life is yours." She said. "But your hands…your hands are mine alone." She showed Raven her now metallic fists.**

"So that's why she made Salem the Gauntlet. She was just trying to save her people... And Salem went back on their deal." Juniper said, sad and angry at what had happened.

"I bet Salem's sick twisted mind thought of a loophole in their deal for her to exploit. It was probably something like "I promise you I will not kill anyone here." Then Vernal made the glove then Salem's goons started slaughtering everyone and Salem said: "I said that I wouldn't kill anyone here, muhahahahahaha!". Damn villains, always assholes till the end." Rwby said as she got angry.

"Actually, if you listen to what the dwarf said." Salem poked in, "She says she thought they'd be safe. Not I promised to spare them. Therefore, I didn't back out on any deal."

"You killed 299 people and you don't even care?" Ozpin was horrified.

"The ends justify the means." Salem shrugged, "If 299 people need to die for me to realize my goal then so be it."

" **Vernal this isn't about your hands." Raven said, "Every weapon you ever designed, every axe, hammer, sword, it's all inside your head. Now, I know it feels like all hope is lost. Trust me, I know. But together, you and I, we can kill Salem."**

 **Back on her ship, a Chitauri was rebuilding Penny. While the alien was distracted, Penny made her eye ball pop out. The Chitauri popped it back in, then Penny grabbed his arm and snapped his neck. Penny literally pulled herself together and limped to the control panel.**

"Damn girls got skill." Rwby said.

"She is the other daughter of Salem." Ozpin shrugged, "I doubt she'd keep her around if she wasn't useful."

"Has a point." Salem tapped her fingers against her armrest, "After all they aren't my real daughters."

" **Coco." She accessed the communications grid, "Listen very carefully. I need you to meet me on Titan."**

 **Meanwhile, the flying doughnut was spinning out of control.**

"Uh oh they're going to crash land." Juniper said.

"Gee what gave that away?" Weiss asked.

" **Hey what's going on?" Yang asked as they rapidly accelerated toward the planet's surface.**

" **I think we're here." Glynda surmised.**

" **I don't think this rig has a self-park function." Ruby ran to the controls, "Get your hand inside the steering gimbal. Close these around it. You understand?"**

" **Yep." Yang did as she was told, "I got it."**

" **This was made for one big guy, so we gotta move at the same time." Ruby instructed.**

" **Okay, okay. Ready." Yang nodded, "We might wanna turn! Turn! Turn! TURN!"**

 **Ruby and Yang hit a flower shaped building and the ship broke apart. Ruby's suit grew on her, Yang's helmet did the same, and Glynda summoned a barrier around them. Their half of the ship broke again when it landed, skid across the ground a few feet, before finally stopping.**

" **You alright?" Glynda helped Ruby to her feet.**

" **That was close." Ruby grunted, "I owe you one."**

" **Let me just saw if aliens wind up implanting eggs in my chest or something…" Yang was hanging upside down from the ceiling, "And I eat one of you, I'm sorry."**

"Whaaaat?" Rwby and Juniper said in confusion.

"Maybe you've seen too many movies." Ruby suggested.

"You can never see too many movies." Yang defended herself.

"True that." WarThunder chimed in.

" **I do not want another single pop culture reference out of you for the rest of the trip." Ruby pointed at Yang, "You understand?"**

" **I'm trying to say that something is coming." Yang pointed behind her.**

 **A grenade rolled across the ground and blew the three of them apart.**

" **SALEM!" Russel threw his dagger, but Glynda summoned a protective shield and deflected it. Russel screamed and the Cloak of Levitation flew off her back and wrapped around his head.**

 **Cardin took to the air and began firing. Ruby did the same, she launched a missile ahead of him and blew him back. Cardin tackled Ruby, but she threw him to the ground. Cardin laughed as he hit a button and a magnet on Ruby's chest forced her onto a part of the ship.**

 **Yang looked up and saw Coco's real eyes behind her glasses, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" She crawled away, "Please don't put your eggs in me!" Yang quickly started shooting webs at Coco.**

" **Stand down clown!" Cardin flew down and kicked Yang.**

 **The four spider legs sprang out and Yang jumped into the air, rolled across the ceiling, and pounced at Cardin. Only he threw an electric wire and restrained her. Causing her to fall straight to the ground.**

" **Die blanket of death!" Russel tried to force the Cloak of Levitation off his face.**

 **While Ruby was able to force herself off the magnet. She flew toward Russel, stepped on his chest, and pointed her repulser at his head. The Cloak of Levitation flew off and Russel tried to force Ruby off.**

" **Everybody stay where you are!" Cardin had Yang as a hostage, "Chill the fuck out." He returned his mask to its original form, and pointed his gun at Ruby, "I'm going to asking you this one time. Where is Velvet?"**

" **Yeah." Ruby's helmet disappeared, "I'll do you one better. Who is Velvet?"**

" **I'll do you one better." Russel spoke under Ruby's foot, "Why is Velvet?!"**

"The appropriate questions to ask." Juniper chuckled.

" **Tell me where the girl is, or I swear to you I'm gonna French fry this little freak." Cardin glared.**

" **LET'S DO IT! YOU SHOOT MY SISTER AND I'LL BLAST HIM!" Ruby's whole arm turned into one giant repulser cannon, "LET'S GO!"**

"Seriously, give me that fucking armor!" Rwby yelled, as thoughts of what she could do with that armor came to mind.

"No give me that armor!" Ruby yelled, "I made it! Technically!"

"Give us both the suit!" Rwby yelled.

"Yeah!" Ruby agreed.

"You sure she's Pyrrha's daughter?" Yang leaned over to Blake.

"You can blame yourself, Aunt Nora and Aunt Ruby for her desire for destructive weapons. Aunt Ruby got her hooked on cool weapons and you and Nora got her hooked on anything that goes BOOM." Juniper said.

" **DO IT CARDIN!" Russel yelled, "I can take it!"**

" **NO, HE CAN'T TAKE IT!" Coco hopped over to them.**

" **She's right you can't." Glynda was ready to fight.**

" **Oh yeah?!" Cardin shook his head, "You don't wanna tell me where she is? That's fine. I'll kill all three of you and beat it out of Salem myself. Starting with you."**

" **Wait Salem?" Glynda asked, "All right let me ask you this one time. What master do you serve?"**

" **What master do I serve?" Cardin parroted, "What am I supposed to say, "Light and Dark"?"**

" **You're from Remnant." Ruby rolled her eyes.**

" **I'm not from Remnant, I'm from Argus." Cardin glared.**

" **That's on Remnant dipshit! What are you hassling us for?" Ruby asked.**

" **So, you're not with Salem?" Yang asked.**

" **With Salem?" Cardin yelled, "No, I'm here to kill Salem. She took my girl. Wait, who are you?"**

 **Yang's helmet disappeared, "We're the Inner Circle man."**

" **Oh!" Cardin let Yang go.**

" **You're the one's Raven told us about!" Coco yelled.**

" **You know Raven?" Ruby asked.**

" **Yeah." Cardin nodded, "Tall chick, not that good looking, needed saving."**

" **Where is he now?" Glynda asked.**

 **Vernal was guiding Raven and Zwei deeper into the forges of Nidavellir. A stone slab was brought down from the ceiling.**

" **This is the plan?" Zwei asked, "We're gonna hit her with a brick?"**

"Hahahaha! Just imagine, defeating someone as powerful, as deadly as Salem, by hitting her in the head with a brick." Rwby laughed.

"I swear to all things holy and unholy alike that if we see a version of me that is beaten by having a brick thrown at her then I'm going to kill myself." Salem growled.

"Foreshadowing?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, please that's like having a bat named: 'Foreshadowing' and I beat you over the head with it." Nora groaned.

" **It's a mold." Vernal corrected, "A queen's weapon. Meant to be the greatest in Asgard. In theory it could even summon the Bifrost."**

" **Did it have a name?" Raven asked.**

" **Stormbreaker." Vernal smiled.**

" **That's a bit much." Zwei shook his head.**

" **So how do we make it?" Raven asked.**

" **You'll have to restart the forge." Vernal grimly said, "Awaken the heart of a dying star."**

" **Raccoon." Raven stared at the star, "Fire up the pod."**

" **What the hell happened to this planet?" Cardin was staring at one of his tools, "It's eight degrees off its axis. Gravitational pull is all over the place."**

" **Yeah we got one advantage." Ruby watched Coco jump around the low gravity, "She's coming to us. We'll use it. All right, I have a plan. Or at least the beginnings of one. It's pretty simple. We draw her in, pin her down, get what we need. Definitely don't wanna dance with this chick. We just want the gauntlet. Are you yawning?!" Ruby looked at Russel still yawning. "In the middle of this while I'm breaking it down? Huh? Did you hear what I just said?"**

" **I stopped listening we you said, "We need a plan." Russel shrugged.**

" **Okay, Green Mohawk is on his own page." Ruby turned to Cardin.**

" **See "Not winging it" isn't really what they do." Cardin said.**

" **What exactly is it that they do?" Yang asked.**

" **Kick names take ass." Coco said with full confidence.**

"That's one way of putting it." Juniper said.

"Oh Coco." Velvet couldn't-or didn't- restrain her laughter, "You are so innocent and naive."

Coco blushed, "Oh hush you."

"The tables have turned." Velvet nibbled Coco's earlobe.

" **Yeah that's right." Russel agreed.**

 **Ruby and Yang just stared at them before sighing.**

" **All right just get over here please." Ruby was fighting a losing battle, "Mr. Lord can you get your folks to circle up?"**

" **Mr. Lord." Cardin chuckled, "Star-Lord is fine." He motioned for Russel and Coco to join in.**

" **We gotta coalesce." Ruby began, "Cause if all we come at her with is a plucky attitude…"**

" **Lady, don't call us plucky." Cardin interrupted, "We don't know what it means. All right, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan. Except it sucks, so let me do the plan and that way it might be really good."**

" **Tell her about the dance-off to save the universe." Russel said.**

" **What dance-off?" Ruby asked.**

" **It's nothing." Cardin stammered.**

" **Like in** _ **Footloose**_ **the movie?" Yang asked.**

" **Exactly like** _ **Footloose**_ **." Cardin's face lit up, "Is it still the greatest movie in history?"**

" **It never was." Yang shook her head.**

"Hey!" Cardin snapped, "That movie was amazing!"

"Original or Remake?" Ruby was now interested.

"Hmmmm." Cardin thought it over, "The original had a nostalgic feel to it, but the remake had more musical choices."

"Eh, fair point." Ruby agreed, "But I'll take tractor chicken vs that stupid bus race anyday."

"Yeah that was bad." Cardin shook his head, "Who even has access to four school buses in the first place?!"

 **Cardin's face dropped.**

" **Don't encourage this all right?" Ruby begged, "We're getting no help from Flash Gordon here."**

" **Flash Gordon?" Cardin asked, "By the way that's a compliment. Don't forget, I'm half human. So that 50% of me that's stupid, is 100% you."**

" **Your math is blowing my mind." Ruby rolled her eyes.**

" **Excuse me." Coco gained their attention, "Does your friend often do that?"**

 **Everyone looked and saw Glynda's amulet open. Orang glyphs coated her body and her head moved at speeds that shouldn't be possible.**

" **Goodwitch?" Ruby yelled, "We all right?" Glynda gasped as the amulet closed itself. "You're back you're all right."**

" **Hi." Glynda tried to get her breathing under control.**

" **Hey what was that?" Yang asked.**

" **I went forward in time to view alternate futures." Glynda explained, "To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict."**

" **How many did you see?" Cardin asked.**

" **14,000,605." Glynda nodded.**

"That's a lot of possible outcomes." Juniper gasped.

" **How many we win?" Ruby had a bad feeling about this.**

" **One." Glynda shook her head.**

"Oh, that's promising." Glynda shook her head with her on screen counterpart.

"One win is all we need." Ruby steeled her nerve.

"Like King Jaune said." Nora recalled, "Greater battles have been won against greater odds."

"King Jaune?" Rwby and Juniper asked.

 **On a distant world with a black sun, Salem and Velvet stepped onto a beach. They were just a stone's throw away from a mountain.**

" **The gem better be up there." Salem warned, "For your sister's sake."**

" **Welcome." A cloaked figure floated toward them, "Salem, Daughter of Alars. Velvet, Daughter of Salem."**

" **You know us?" Salem asked.**

" **It is my curse to know all who journey here." The figure said.**

" **Where is the Soul Gem?" Salem demanded.**

" **You should know it extracts a terrible price." The figure said.**

" **I am prepared." Salem stepped forward.**

" **We all think that at first." The figure lowered himself to the ground and revealed the face of Jaques Schnee, "We are all wrong."**

 **Jaques lead them to the summit, where two carved stones were waiting for them.**

" **How is it you know this place so well?" Salem asked.**

" **A lifetime ago, I, too, sought the gems." Jaques explained, "I even held one in my hand. But it cast me out, banished me here. Guiding others to a treasure I cannot possess." He led them to the edge of the summit, "What you seek lies in front of you. As does what you fear."**

"Why am I not surprised." Weiss groaned into her palm.

"Father risking everything for power?" Winter filed her nails, "Doesn't really surprise me at all."

"He held one of the gems." Salem countered, "Like him or not, that feat alone demands respect."

" **What's this?" Velvet asked.**

" **The price." Jaques said, "Soul holds a special place among the Infinity Gems. You might say it has a certain wisdom."**

" **Tell me what it needs." Salem demanded.**

" **To ensure that whoever possesses it understands its power the gem demands a sacrifice." Jaques explained.**

" **Of what?" Salem looked over the edge.**

" **In order to take the gem, you must lose that which you love." Jaques explained, "A soul for a soul."**

"Ha! Oh, Salem has just lost. What would a monster like her have to love?" Rwby said, happy that Salem couldn't get Soul Gem. She didn't know how wrong she was.

Salem nearly broke her armrests. She thought of her daughters that had gone from this world far too soon. The thought made her angry, and more than anything wanted this version of her to succeed.

 **Velvet broke into a hysterical laughter, "All my life, I dreamed of a day…a moment…when you got what you deserved. And I was always so disappointed. But now…you kill and torture…and you call it mercy. The universe has judged you. You asked it for a prize, and it told you no. You failed. And do you wanna know why? Because you love nothing. No one."**

" **No." Salem turned around with tears in her eyes.**

" **Really?" Velvet shook her head, "Tears?"**

" **They're not for him." Jaques watched with intrigue.**

 **Salem stepped forward and Velvet stepped back.**

"No way..." Rwby said with widened eyes.

"You're not my daughter." Salem whispered to herself, "Not my real daughter anyhow."

" **No." Velvet shook her head, "This isn't love."**

" **I ignored my destiny once." Salem growled, "I cannot do that again. Even for you."**

 **Velvet drew her blade and stabbed herself in the stomach. But Salem used the Reality Gem to turn it into bubbles.**

"Ok it's kinda messed up she's about to kill her daughter but it seems that Salem has a bit of a thing for bubbles, right?" Juniper said.

"Fucking bubbles!" Nora screamed.

" **I'm sorry little one." Salem grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the edge. Velvet punched, kicked, and tried to claw herself free. But it was no use as Salem threw her over the edge. The skies split apart, and Salem woke up int the waters at the base of the mountain. She opened her ungloved had and saw a perfectly carved green gem.**

 **A jet flew over a fog covered forest.**

" **Drop to 2600 heading 0-3-0." Jaune instructed.**

" **I hope you're right about this." Nora did as she was told and was flying toward a forest, "Or we're gonna land a lot faster than you want to."**

 **Nora flew directly into the trees only for them to be holograms. Behind the false trees was a beautiful metropolis in front of a vast lake.**

" **When you said we were going to open Menagerie to the rest of the world this is not what I imagined." Kali spoke to Ilia as they walked.**

" **And what did you imagine?" Ilia asked.**

" **The Olympics." Kali shrugged, "Maybe even a** _ **Starbucks."**_

"Oh, I love Starbucks." Juniper said.

"Meh, they're ok I guess." Rwby said.

"I went there once because there was nothing else opened." Mercury groaned at the memory, "I ended up texting Emerald to see how to fucking order from that place."

"It's not that hard." Emerald sighed.

"What's your order from there?" Mercury asked.

Without missing a beat, "A large macchiato, three shots of Almond, three shots of dolche, no sugar, no fat, no foam, in an extra-large cup."

"Was that even English?" Mercury stared at her.

Weiss shrugged, "That's pretty common."

"What?!" Mercury snapped.

 **The cargo bay door opened, Jaune and Emerald were greeted by Ilia, the Kingsguard and the Dora Milaje.**

" **Should we bow?" Oscar leaned over to Weiss.**

" **Yeah." Weiss nodded, "She's a Queen."**

" **Seems like I'm always thanking you for something." Jaune shook Ilia's hand.**

" **Dude what are you doing?" Weiss watched Oscar bow.**

" **We don't do that here." Ilia waved at him to stand up.**

 **Oscar looked at Weiss who just smirked at him.**

"Looks like Aunt Weiss actually has a sense of hummer." Rwby said.

"You say that like I don't." Weiss huffed.

"You sorta don't." Pyrrha shrugged.

"When was the last time you were quippy?" Nora asked.

" **So how big of an assault should we expect?" Ilia asked.**

" **Your grace I think you should expect quite a big assault." Oscar timidly said.**

" **How we looking?" Emerald asked.**

" **You will have my Kingsguard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and…" Ilia pointed at Pyrrha.**

" **A semi-stable 100-year-old woman." Pyrrha finished for her.**

 **Jaune ran up and kissed her, "How've you been Pyr?"**

"YAY! They're together!" Juniper said.

"You're just ignoring the fact mom said she was about 100 years old?" Rwby asked.

"Eh." Salem and Ozpin shrugged.

"We've seen weirder." Ruby shrugged.

" **Not bad for the end of the world." Pyrrha chuckled.**

 **They took Ren to the temple. Where Ilia's younger sister examined him. A hologram of the inside of Ren's head appeared.**

" **The structure is polymorphic." Sienna explained.**

" **Right we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially." Oscar explained.**

" **Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" Sienna asked.**

 **Ren looked at Oscar.**

" **Because we didn't think of it." Oscar deadpanned, "And we we're kind of under attack at the time."**

" **I'm sure you did your best." Sienna smiled.**

"Oh _catty._ " Yang smiled and was met with a fist to the top of the head by Blake.

"I regret nothing." Yang nursed the comical bump on her head.

" **Can you do it?" Blake asked.**

" **Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here." Sienna explained, "One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time sister."**

" **How long?" Jaune asked.**

" **As long as you can give me." Sienna guessed.**

 **Kali's bracelet went off, "Something just entered the atmosphere."**

" **Hey, cap we got a situation here." Nora watched a giant pyramid fall from the sky. She was shocked when it exploded against the protective barrier around the city.**

" **Gods be praised, I love this place." Pyrrha laughed.**

" **Don't start celebrating yet." Weiss was in her War-Machine armor, "We got more incoming outside the dome."**

 **Five total pyramids landed outside the dome, incinerating the ground where they landed.**

" **It's too late." Ren tried to get up, "We need to destroy the gem now."**

"Gods be praised you really wanna die that badly?!" Ruby yelled.

"Fate of the universe." Ren began.

"Oh, blow it out your ass!" Pyrrha glared at Ren, "Do you have such little faith in us you jump to suicide before we've even done anything?!"

Everybody looked at Pyrrha after her outburst. Then they looked at Ren, but he was to shocked at her outburst to answer.

"... She's right you know." Juniper said.

" **Ren get your ass back on the table." Emerald ordered.**

" **We will hold them off." Ilia said.**

" **Blake." Jaune looked at her, "As soon as that gem's out of his head you blow it to hell."**

" **I will." Blake nodded.**

" **Evacuate the city." Ilia ordered, "Engage all defenses, and get this man a shield."**

"No sword?" Glynda asked, "This'll be interesting."

 **Back on Nidavellir, Zwei was piloting the pod to the connection point for the rings.**

" **I don't think you get the scientifics here." Zwei told Raven as she jumped off the pod and onto the ring, "These rings are gigantic. You wanna get them moving you're going to need something a lot bigger to yank'em loose."**

" **Leave that to me." Raven said.**

" **Leave it to you?" Zwei questioned, "Lady you're in space. All you got is a rope and a…!"**

 **Raven began spinning the pod to build up momentum. Zwei was screaming his lungs out as he spun inside the pod.**

" **Fire the engines!" Raven ordered as she jumped off the ring.**

 **Zwei did just that as the rocketed toward the outer ring. Raven dug her feet in and hit the edge of the ring. It moved slightly as Zwei continued to fly straight.**

" **More!" Raven strained to hold on, "Power Raccoon!"**

 **Zwei gave it all the pod could give. Raven screamed as the rings finally began to move. The rings circled the star before finally aligning and the star awoke.**

" **Well done girl." Vernal gasped.**

" **THAT'S NIDAVELLIR!" Raven cheered and pointed at the star.**

"It's so beautiful." Juniper said.

The audience stared in wonder as the red, yellow, blue, and purple flames danced as the star awakened.

 **Zwei gasped as he saw the multitude of colored fires dance around the core. A port opened and shot directly into the forge. When the mechanism holding it open broke and the forge died once again.**

" **Damn it." Vernal sighed.**

" **Damn it"?" Zwei asked, "What's "Damn it"?"**

" **The mechanism is crippled." Vernal said.**

" **What?" Raven asked.**

" **With the iris closed I can't heat the metal." Vernal explained.**

" **How long will it take to melt the metal?" Raven asked.**

" **A few minutes maybe more, why?" Vernal had a bad feeling about why Raven was asking that.**

" **I'm gonna hold it open." Raven stood on top of the pod.**

" **That's suicide." Vernal warned.**

" **So is facing Salem without that axe." Raven countered and jumped toward the iris.**

"What am I going to do now?" Raven asked suddenly interested in what'll happen next.

"Something incredibly stupid." Qrow shook his head but couldn't deny this was getting interesting.

 **Back in Menagerie, Ilia and her forces where flying to the side of the barrier where the pyramids landed.**

" **How we looking Oscar?" Emerald radioed.**

" **Yeah I think I'm getting the hang of it!" Oscar was piloting the Oz-Buster Armor. He clumsily flew over then started running, "This is amazing man! It's like being Ozpin without actually…!" Oscar tripped over a rock and slid across the ground. Kali watched and sighed as she flew over him, "I'm okay! I'm okay!"**

"We're so screwed." Ilia slumped in her seat.

"That suit is big." Ruby gasped at the size of it.

"A little too big don't you think?" Yang asked.

"I mean it's meant to fight Ozpin so maybe it needs to be big?" Nora reasoned.

" **I've got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line!" Weiss reported.**

 **It was Hazel and Neo. Hazel had a shiny new robotic arm. Ilia and Kali stood next to Sun as he chanted and his tribe of simian faunus chanted with him.**

" **Mafah!" Sun chanted.**

" **Ya hoo hoo!" his tribesmen chanted.**

"MAFAH!" Sun jumped onto his chair.

" **Ya hoo hoo!" his tribesmen shouted not hearing the Sun in the audience.**

" **Thank you for standing with us." Ilia shook Sun's hand.**

 **Sun acknowledged in the Faunus tongue, "Of course sister."**

 **Neo dragged her sword against the barrier testing its strength. Ilia, Jaune, and Emerald went up to them.**

" **Where's your other friend?" Emerald asked.**

" **You will pay for his life with yours." Neo glared, "Salem will have that gem."**

" **That's not gonna happen." Jaune shook his head.**

"Yeah kick their asses dad!" Rwby cheered.

" **You are in Menagerie now." Ilia declared, "Salem will have nothing but sand and blood."**

 **Neo smirked, "We have blood to spare." Neo lifted her sword and the pyramids opened.**

" **They surrender?" Pyrrha asked as Jaune rejoined everyone.**

" **Not exactly." Jaune shook his head.**

 **Monsters would be a compliment to the creatures that spilled out of the pyramids. Grotesque twisted things with four arms, crammed so tightly together they spilled out in droves.**

" **Yibambe!" Ilia roared.**

" **YIBAMBE!" the faunus screamed back.**

" **Yibambe!" Ilia roared again.**

"YIBAMBE!" the faunus in the audience jumped up.

"DAMN I'M HAVING FUN!" Rwby yelled.

"ME TOO!" Juniper agreed.

"This is going to get real ugly." Ruby braced herself, "And I can't wait!"

"The suspense is killing me!" Nora vibrated in her seat, "Come on!"

 **Neo lowered her sword and the monstrosities charged at the barrier.**

" **What the hell." Pyrrha gasped.**

" **Looks like we pissed her off." Emerald sighed.**

 **The aliens crashed against the barrier. The ones that got their limbs through had them immediately severed. One got its torso through before being sliced in half.**

" **They're killing themselves." Kali gasped as she watched the scene unfold.**

 **Neo viciously smiled as the aliens began to break through. The Border Tribe extended their shields built into the cloaks they worse over their shoulders. The soldiers behind them lowered their spears, Ilia gave the command, and they began to fire upon the aliens.**

 **Pyrrha had a M249, Oscar fired using the Oz-Busters repulsers, while Nora and Weiss attacked from the air. Three mini drones flew out of Nora's wings and began flying through the alien horde.**

" **You see the teeth on those things?!" Nora flew higher.**

" **Alright back up Nora or you'll get your wings singed." Weiss flew as close to the barrier as she could and began carpet bombing the area.**

"Now the question becomes whose suit is better?" Yang asked, "Ruby's Iron Rose? Or Weiss' War Machine?"

"I designed them both." Ruby said, "So they're both equally awesome."

"One has to be better than the other." Blake said.

"Not necessarily." Pyrrha shook her head.

"Depends on the preference." Weiss examined her suit, "I have guns. A fuck-ton of guns. While Ruby's is more energy weapons based."

"Maybe I have a closet full of different suits!" Ruby cackled, "One for every occasion!"

"My money is on Ruby's suit. That is the newest version. Aunt Weiss's armor looks like an older model." Juniper said.

" **Cap if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us there's nothing between them and Ren." Oscar watched the aliens begin to run around the barrier.**

" **Then we better keep them in front of us." Jaune said.**

" **How do we do that?" Kali asked.**

" **We open the barrier." Ilia looked at Kali, "On my signal, open North-West Section Seventeen."**

" **Requesting confirmation your grace." Dome control responded, "You said open the barrier?"**

"Yeah I'm not sure that's the best strategy." Juniper said.

"They need to keep the fighting in front of them." Ironwood examined the situation.

"They're mindless drones." Salem watched her army, "They'll attack what's in front of them."

" **On my signal." Ilia confirmed.**

" **This will be the end of Menagerie." Sun watched the alien horde gather.**

" **Then it will be the noblest ending in history." Kali growled and readied her spear. Jaune readied the two shields on his arms.**

 **Ilia shouted an order and the Border Tribe retracted their shields.**

" **MENAGERIE FOREVER!" The Black Panther helmet materialized around her head and the faunus army roared as they charged toward the aliens, "NOW!"**

 **The barrier opened and the aliens spilled in. Given Ilia and Jaune's enhancements, they took the lead. They jumped over the river and landed in the middle of the horde.**

 **Chaos…**

 **Every alien Jaune killed another took its place. Ilia was expelling kinetic energy as fast as she was receiving it. The army caught up and began fighting the aliens with the same results.**

" **How much longer Sienna?" Ilia asked.**

" **I've barely begun sister." Sienna was working as quickly as she could to safely remove the gem from Ren's forehead.**

" **You might want to pick up the pace." Ilia attacked an alien.**

" **Allfathers give me strength." Raven stood inside the mechanism.**

" **You understand girl?" Vernal asked, "You're about to take the full force of a star. It'll kill you."**

" **Only if I die." Raven exhaled.**

"Optimistic?" Qrow asked.

"Suicidal more likely." Glynda shook her head.

"Suicidally Optimistic." Raven crossed her arms.

" **Yes, that's what killing you means?" Vernal was confused.**

"Yeah, killing means dying." Rwby said.

 **Raven began screaming as she opened the iris to the star. The flames lit up the forge like a Christmas tree, and ignited the fires under the ore.**

" **HOLD IT!" Vernal ran to the pot, "HOLD IT RAVEN!"**

 **Immediately once the metal had melted Vernal tipped the vat over the mold. Raven couldn't hold it any longer and let go. The fires blew her into the forge. Zwei chased after her, but Raven hit the ceiling and fell to the floor. Zwei jumped out of the pod and ran to her.**

"You can't just stick your metal hand in there and stir the metals?" Nora asked.

"That wouldn't do anything to help." Ruby being an expert in forging knew that wouldn't work, "In fact that'll probably melt her hands and corrupt the metals in the vat."

" **Raven!" Zwei shook her, "Say something. Come on! Raven you okay?!" Vernal threw the mold onto the ground and began breaking it open. "I think she's dying!"**

" **She needs the axe!" Vernal broke the pieces free, "Where's the handle?! Tree! Help me find the handle!"**

"Come on Groot find the handle!" Juniper yelled while she was quite literally at the edge of her seat.

 **Groot looked at Raven, she didn't have the time for them to look for the handle, instead he used one hand to wrap around the two pieces and slam them together. He stretched out his arm about half as tall as Raven then severed it. Raven's palm opened and the axe levitated off the ground.**

 **Oscar jumped into the air and landed on a few aliens. The gun was knocked out of Pyrrha's hands and the alien jumped on her. She quickly drew her knife and began stabbing it repeatedly. Weiss was in the air with an assault rifle on each arm, a mini-gun over her right shoulder, and a missile launcher over her left. Hazel's hammer knocked her out of the sky.**

" **There's too many of them!" Oscar yelled as he was tackled to the ground and swarmed. The others weren't fairing too well either. Ilia was on her back, Jaune was against a rock, the situation seemed dire.**

"DAD!" Rwby and Juniper yelled.

"He's been in rougher situations." Pyrrha held her daughters.

"He always finds a way on top." Ruby reassured them.

 **A rainbow slammed in the middle of the horde. Strombreaker flew out and began slicing through aliens like a hot knife through butter, made sense since the axe head was on fire. Lightning arched from alien to alien as Stormbreaker passed them. Everyone, EVERYONE aliens included stopped and stared as the rainbow disappeared revealing Raven in full armor, Zwei with a rifle on her shoulder, and Groot.**

"One thing this universe does right is dramatic entrances." Raven jumped when she saw herself on screen.

"You got that right." Qrow was impressed to say the least.

"RAVEN TO THE RESCUE!" Juniper cheered.

"It's weird that we're cheering on a bitch that tried to kidnap us and force us to join her tribe of assholes." Rwby said.

"Different universe." Pyrrha ruffled her hair, ignoring the fact that the bandit leader had tried to kidnap her daughters.

 **Oscar was laughing hysterically, "YOU GUYS ARE SO SCREWED NOW!"**

" **BRING ME SALEM!" Raven's eyes sprouted the Spring Maiden's signature pink fire. She jumped into the air, summoned a storm cloud, and charged Stormbreaker with both fire and lightning before landing an explosive strike. The ground was set ablaze while lighting came down reducing the aliens to a heap of ash.**

"Damn!" everyone shouted as they watched Stormbreaker in action.

"Hmmm." Salem pondered, "That may be a problem."

"It holds no candle to you." Tyrion praised.

"Hmmm." Salem acknowledged unsure of the future.

"Maybe I should start using axes." Raven mused.

 **Salem stepped out of a portal on the barren planet and saw Glynda.**

" **Oh yeah." She nodded, "You're much more of a Salem."**

" **I take it Watts is dead." Salem assumed, Glynda nodded to confirm, "This day extracts a heavy toll. Still, he accomplished his mission." Salem stared at the amulet around Glynda's neck.**

" **You may regret that." Glynda warned, "He brought you face-to-face with the Mistress of the Mystic Arts."**

" **And where do you think he brought you?" Salem asked standing on end of the stairs Glynda was sitting on.**

" **Let me guess." Glynda looked around, "Your home?"**

" **It was and it was beautiful." Salem used the Reality Gem to return Titan to its original glory, "Titan was like most planets. Too many mouths, not enough to go around, and when we faced extinction, I offered a solution."**

"That planet truly is beautiful." Salem admired the clear skies, the lush green grass, even the weird flower shaped buildings.

"Floating buildings is a no from me." Nora shook her head.

"Why?" Weiss asked, "Atlas is a floating city."

"And you're not at all worried that one day it won't drop out of the sky?" Nora looked at Weiss, Winter, and Ironwood. "Or do you have an actual titan holding up the city?"

"No…" Ironwood said.

"If there's even a .01% chance that the city can fall from the sky, you can bet your metal ass I'll be on the ground already." Nora crossed her arms.

"Only to be crushed by the falling city." Ironwood countered.

"I'll run." Nora said.

"Outrun the blast radius?" Ironwood asked, "That's several miles in the span of a few seconds."

"Or I'll stay in Vale where there aren't flying cities." Nora gave up.

" **Genocide." Glynda accused.**

" **But random." Salem countered returning Titan to the wasteland that it was, "Dispassionate, fair to rich and poor alike. They called me a madwoman and then what I predicted came to pass."**

" **Congratulations you're a prophet." Glynda stared down at her.**

" **I'm a survivor." Salem corrected.**

" **Who wants to murder trillions." Glynda stated.**

" **With all six gems I could simply snap my fingers and they would all cease to exist." Salem explained, "I call that mercy."**

" **Then what?" Glynda stood.**

" **I'd finally rest." Salem shrugged, "Watch the sun rise on a great full universe. The hardest choices require the strongest wills."**

" **I think you'll find our will equal to yours." Glynda summoned her glyphs.**

" **Our?" Salem looked up and a ship crashed on top of her.**

" **Piece of cake Cardin." Ruby said.**

" **Yeah if your goal was to piss her off." Cardin joined Ruby in the skies.**

 **Using the Power Gem, the ship exploded, then using reality the debris turned into metal birds and began chasing Ruby. Before Salem could continue webs coated her eyes. Yang swung in and kicked her. Russel slid and attacked her heel, Glynda teleported next to them. Russel attacked, Salem blocked, and punched him away. Glynda had a purple sword she attacked with, Salem grabbed the sword, and ripped the webbing off her face. Glynda dispelled the sword and made a shield to block as Salem kicked. The Cloak of Levitation stopped her from flying. Cardin shot Salem in the back as Glynda made glyphs for him to use as step stones. Where he planted a bomb on Salem's back.**

" **Boom!" He flipped her the bird and jumped back into one of Glynda's portals.**

"If you're going to blow someone up, blow them up with style." Rwby said.

"My kind of style." Cardin nodded with approval.

 **Salem was brought to a knee as the bomb detonated.**

" **Don't let her close her fist." Glynda told the Cloak of Levitation.**

 **Once Salem got to her feet, the Cloak of Levitation immediately wrapped around the Infinity Gauntlet. Glynda opened a portal where Yang came out and kicked her.**

" **Magic!" Yang said jumping into another portal, "More magic!" She jumped out of another and kicked. "Magic with a kick!" She jumped out of another. "Magic with a…!" Yang jumped out but Salem grabbed her by the throat and slammed her onto the ground.**

" **Insect!" Salem glared and threw Yang into Glynda. She ripped the Cloak of Levitation off and it returned to Glynda. Ruby came back and began firing missiles at her. Combing Power and Space, Salem absorbed the fires around her and shot them back at Ruby. Sending her through a building. Yang swung in and used her web to grab the gauntlet. Salem pulled Yang toward her and clotheslined her. She ripped the web off the gauntlet when a Chitauri ship crashed into her, "Well. Well." Salem chuckled as Penny came out of the ship and punched her.**

"That's one way to make an entrance." Juniper said.

"Maybe it would have been more effective if you didn't shout: 'Magic' every time you attacked." Weiss rubbed her forehead.

"I'm jumping out of a bright purple portal." Yang deadpanned.

"Fair point." Blake shrugged.

" **You should have killed me." Penny drew her sword.**

" **It would have been a waste of parts!" Salem roared.**

 **Penny attacked, but Salem blocked each one. She faked an attack and threw the sword behind Salem. She went behind her, caught it, and attacked her blind spot, "WHERE'S VELVET?!"**

 **Salem backhanded her into a pile of junk. Glynda summoned four purple whips and wrapped them around the Infinity Gauntlet. Russel slid in, kicked her knee, and held on. Cardin fired another magnet that wrapped around Salem's free and and pulled it toward a broken piece of metal. Yang came in and wrapped her with a web. Ruby grabbed the Infinity Gauntlet and Glynda dispelled the whips. Yang had to bring out the spider legs to keep her from moving. Glynda opened a portal over Salem's head where Coco fell onto her shoulders. Her glasses glowed as she tried to subdue her. Glynda summoned the whips and held onto Salem's bare hand.**

"They did it!" Juniper cheered.

Salem growled at the scene unfolding.

" **Is she under?" Ruby tried to force the Infinity Gauntlet off Salem's hand, "Don't let up."**

" **Be quick!" Coco strained, "She is very strong!"**

" **Yang! Help! Get over here!" Ruby yelled and Yang ran to her sister's side, "She can't hold her much longer. Let's go."**

" **We gotta open her fingers to get it off." Yang and Ruby bickered as they tried to force the Infinity Gauntlet off.**

" **I thought you'd be hard to catch." Cardin gloated as he landed, "For the record this was my idea. Not so strong now, huh? Where is Velvet?"**

" **My Velvet." Salem hissed.**

" **No bullshit!" Cardin yelled, "Where is she?"**

" **She is anguish!" Coco read her emotions, "She…She mourns."**

" **What does this monster have to mourn?" Russel strained.**

" **Velvet." Penny whispered.**

" **What?" Cardin turned around.**

" **She took her to Vormir." Penny explained, "She came back with the Soul Gem. But Velvet didn't."**

 **Ruby's helmet vanished, "Okay, Cardin, you gotta cool it right now. You understand? Don't, don't, do not engage! WE ALMOST GOT THIS THING OFF!"**

" **Tell me she's lying." Cardin demanded, "Asshole! Tell me you didn't do it!"**

"How about somebody with free hands knock him out before he does something stupid?!" Raven yelled.

Salem's smile returned as she guessed what was coming.

"Or pull a Hazel." Ruby suggested.

"A what?" Weiss asked.

"Open a portal underneath her and then sever the hand with the Infinity Gauntlet." Ruby suggested.

Everyone paused.

"Why aren't we doing that?" Cardin asked.

" **I had to." Salem hissed.**

" **No, you didn't." Cardin cried, "No you didn't." Cardin began hitting Salem with his gun, "NO YOU DIDN'T!"**

" **CARDIN!" Russel yelled.**

" **Hey stop!" Ruby's helmet returned and she restrained Cardin, "Hey stop! STOP!"**

 **Yang pulled the Infinity Gauntlet off, "It's coming, it's coming. I got it, I got it!"**

 **Salem regained consciousness and grabbed the Infinity Gauntlet. She wrenched it out of Yang's hands and slipped it back on. She threw Coco off her shoulders and into the distance.**

"YOU IDIOT!" Rwby and Juniper yelled.

"Like you wouldn't do the same." Cardin scoffed.

"No, we wouldn't." Weiss declared.

"Bullshit." Cardin scoffed again, "You're telling me that if Salem just confessed to killing your sister for a fucking rock, you wouldn't immediately attack her? Ask yourselves that, honestly ask yourselves that."

"He's right…" Yang nodded.

"What?" Weiss asked.

"If my sister's killer was right in front of me…" Yang shrugged, "I don't know what I'd do…probably activate my semblance and do exactly what Cardin did."

"I may have been an idiot, but I did what anybody in the world would do in that situation." Cardin crossed his arms.

" **Oh god!" Yang swung after her. She wrapped her arms and spider legs around her as the crashed onto the ground.**

 **Salem kicked Russel off her leg and into Ruby, Cardin, and Penny. She used the whips to propel Glynda over her shoulder and into the ground. Ruby blasted her but Salem backhanded her away. Cardin, Russel, and Penny stood up, but Salem sent a shockwave with the Power Gem and knocked them down. Ruby turned her arm into a blade and attacked, Salem head butted her away. She looked at the moon and used Power to break it, then Space to bring the fragments crashing down. Ruby flew around to avoid the meteors, but one caught her, and sent her into the ground.**

 **Ren was on the table still having the Mind Gem removed. Hazel was using his hammer to decimate the Border Tribe. Ilia dove in and used her stored kinetic energy to knock him down.**

" **COME AND GET SOME SPACE DOGS!" Zwei yelled as she shot them. Pyrrha picked him up, held out her arms, and began to spin as they both shot simultaneously, "COME ON! GET SOME! GET SOME! COME ON! GET SOME!" Pyrrha let Zwei go, "How much for the gun?"**

"That was awesome!" Rwby said.

" **Not for sale." Pyrrha said.**

" **Okay. How much for the arm?" Zwei asked. Pyrrha didn't answer and walked away, "Oh, I'll get that arm."**

"Good luck shoving an entire arm up your butt Zwei." Ruby giggled.

"Pervert senses tingling." Blake had a slight nosebleed.

"No!" Kali sprayed her daughter with the water bottle.

"GAH! NO! NOT THE WATER BOTTLE!" Blake screamed.

 **Raven was hacking aliens left and right.**

" **New haircut?" Jaune asked noticing how short her hair was now.**

" **Noticed you grew a beard." Raven gestured. Groot impaled three aliens on his arm, "Oh by the way this is a friend of mine. Tree."**

" **I AM GROOT!"**

" **I am Jaune Arc." Jaune nodded.**

"And I am Juniper Arc!" Juniper giggled.

"You know…" Pyrrha thought it over, "Raven understands what he's saying, but still introduces him as tree. Could his name really be tree?"

"I think she's just too dense to bother calling him Groot." Qrow mocked.

 **There was a rumbling that could be heard even in the chamber where Ren was. In the distance the ground seemed to move as a colossal machine of saws burst from the ground.**

"HOLY SHIT!" Rwby and most of the audience screamed in shock.

" **FALL BACK!" Ilia ordered, "FALL BACK NOW!"**

 **The machine broke apart into five individual colossal saws.**

" **Focus that fire on the left flank Nora." Weiss instructed.**

" **I'm doing it!" Nora obeyed but the saw wasn't suffering any damage.**

 **Kali and Emerald saw another five-bladed machine charge at them. Blake came down, lifted it into the air, broke it apart, and threw the pieces at the horde.**

" **Why was she up there all this time?" Kali asked.**

" **She's on the field." Neo whispered to her wrist, "Take it."**

 **Back in the lab, Tyrion stepped out of the shadows. He killed the two Kingsguard, Sienna and the Dora Milaje tried to fend him off, but he kicked both of them onto the floor below. He jumped down looking for Ren but didn't see him. That's when he tackled Tyrion out of the window.**

Salem chuckled; she couldn't believe she fell for it. Convincing everyone Tyrion was dead while he snuck around the back. This was becoming the most entertaining thing she's seen in a long time.

" **Guys!" Nora reported, "We got a Ren situation here." Nora was knocked out of the sky by an alien.**

" **SOMEBODY GET TO REN!" Jaune ordered as an alien jumped on him.**

" **I got him!" Oscar flew off.**

" **On my way." Blake was kicked into the trenches by Neo.**

" **He'll die alone, as will you." Neo looked down at her.**

" **She's not alone." Emerald said.**

 **Neo looked up and saw Emerald, she looked behind her and saw Kali. She decided to go after Emerald first. She jumped into the air and attacked, while Emerald used her staff to block. Kali ran around and joined Emerald in fighting head on.**

"You know it's been ages since I've seen you fight." Ghira leaned over to his wife.

"Hasn't been that long." Kali snuggled up to her husband.

"Remember the last training session we had?" Ghira asked.

"You mean the night we made Blake?" Kali corrected.

"I can't unhear that." Adam was now scarred for life.

"You and me both." Ilia shuddered.

"I just want to crawl in a dark hole somewhere and DIE." Blake said as a mental image that she didn't want entered her head.

 **Tyrion kicked Ren to the ground. As he stood up, Hazel knocked him back down with his hammer.**

" **Oh no, oh no you don't." Oscar readied his repulsers, "This isn't gonna be Vale pal. This suit's already kicked the shit outta Ozpin!" Hazel ran forward and Oscar dragged him over the edge, "Guys! Ren needs backup now! Ozpin, Ozpin, I know you like making your entrance at the last second. Well, this is it man, this is the last, last second." Hazel ripped the left arm of the Oz-Buster suit off. "Ozpin! OZPIN!"**

" **NO!" Ozpin yelled.**

"PUSSY!" Rwby yelled at the on-screen Ozpin.

"Seriously Oz why don't you wanna fight?" Qrow asked.

"Maybe it's because I'm tired of being the last resort people use when they can't win." Ozpin said.

"You mean you're tired of being used as a weapon?" Raven asked, "Still a hypocrite I see."

" **OH, SCREW YOU! YOU BIG GREEN ASSHOLE! I'LL DO IT MYSELF!" Oscar was fed up with Ozpin's bullshit. He jumped into the air and punched Hazel down. He uppercut him when he tried to stand. He wound up for a second one, but Hazel caught it and punched Oscar back. Hazel's robotic hand became a spike, that's when Oscar forced the severed hand of the Oz-Buster suit on. "SEE YA!" Oscar pressed a button and Hazel was sent flying into the air. He flew into the barrier where he was dragged along until he exploded. "Ozpin, we got a lot to figure out pal."**

"Best line from the entire movie." Raven cackled at Oscar's meltdown.

 **Neo held off both Kali and Emerald. When a saw passed over them, Neo used the opportunity to kick Emerald away. She grabbed Kali and threw in the opposite direction.**

 **Tyrion drove his spear into Ren's chest, "I thought you were formidable machine. But you're dying, like any man." He ripped the spear out of his chest.**

 **Jaune came running in and tackled Tyrion away, "GET OUT OF HERE!" He told Ren. He blocked Tyrion's strikes and hit him with the points of his shields. "GO!"**

 **Emerald broke her staff in two and continued the fight with Neo. Neo knocked her down and was about to drive her blade into Emerald's throat when a red aura coated her. She was confused as she was lifted into the air and shredded by a passing saw.**

" **That…" Emerald stood up, "That was really gross."**

"I didn't see any glass." Roman cringed, "I think you're really gone Neo." She responded with anime tears.

 **Jaune was able to force the spear out of Tyrion's hands. But Tyrion threw him over a log, jumped on top, and grabbed his throat. Jaune gasped when his spear entered Tyrion's chest just below the neck. Ren tossed the corpse aside and collapsed.**

" **I thought I told you to go." Jaune helped him up.**

" **We don't trade lives Captain." Ren's voice distorted again.**

"I told you our Fearless Leader always came out on top." Nora praised.

 **Yang was swinging wildly to avoid the meteors while webbing up the Guardians of the Galaxy. "I got you!" She secured Coco. "I got you!" She secured Russel. "I'm sorry I can't remember anybody's names!" Yang secured Cardin.**

 **Salem threw some debris out of her way and came face-to-face with Glynda. Glynda channeled her energies into the rocks before Salem, but Salem jumped into the air and sent a pure beam of energy toward Glynda. Glynda defended but summoning the Mirror Dimension and sending the energy right back at her. Salem shattered the Mirror Glass and used the Space Gem to create a singularity and threw it at Glynda. Glynda summoned a glyph and turned the singularity into green butterflies. Glynda then split into one hundred clone and each one had a whip that restrained Salem. She closed her fist and using Soul and Power she returned all the clones back to the original. Then with Reality and Space she pulled Glynda into her grasp.**

"It was awesome while it lasted." Rwby sighed.

" **You're full of tricks wizard." Salem complimented, "But you never once used your greatest weapon." She ripped the amulet from her and crushed it in her hand. The dust trickled out of her hand, "A fake." She threw Glynda onto the ground and was about to close her fist when a machine stopped her. Ruby then landed before her.**

"Wouldn't I technically be a witch?" Glynda asked, "I mean my name is Dr. Goodwitch."

"Mistress of the Mystic Arts." Salem completed for her.

" **You throw another moon at me and I'm gonna lose it." Ruby dared.**

"I would be upset too if someone smacked me with a moon." Juniper said.

"Oooooh, Baby Sis is pissed." Yang rubbed her hands together. It was rare to see her actually angry.

"Come on Ruby." Summer and Taiyang cheered.

" **Ruby Rose." Salem didn't move.**

" **You know me?" Ruby asked.**

" **I do." Salem nodded, "You're not the only one cursed with knowledge."**

" **My only curse is you." Ruby launched five missiles from her back.**

"And it's time that Aunt Ruby breaks that curse!" Rwby yelled in excitement. Juniper was also excited but her mouth was full of popcorn so she couldn't yell along with her sister.

" **Come on!" Salem brace herself.**

 **In the dust cloud Ruby combined her feet and kicked Salem back. She planted and reinforced both feet into the ground, turned her arms into hammers and slammed Salem into a rock. Salem reached out and ripped off Ruby's helmet. She quickly grew a new one as Salem punched her down. She ripped the machine off the Infinity Gauntlet and shot a stream of Power at her. Ruby quickly made a shield to block the energies. But it didn't hold, the moment the shield flew off her arm, Ruby flew to Salem, put her foot on the Infinity Gauntlet and restrained it to the ground. She turned her arm into a rocket propelled hammer and struck Salem.**

 **Salem dabbed the wound with her finger, "All that for a drop of blood?"**

"Holy crap..." Juniper whispered.

"What?" Rwby asked.

"I just realized that other than that illusion back in Knowhere, this is the first time that Salem has actually bled. She had a ship the size of a building dropped on her head and she didn't even have a scratch on her, she was just angry and annoyed." Juniper explained.

"If she bleeds than she can die." Qrow acknowledged.

"How dare you harm my mistress?!" Tyrion shrieked.

"Be silent Tyrion." Salem commanded, "This fight isn't over yet."

 **Salem ripped the Infinity Gauntlet free, Ruby landed on her back, and Salem proceeded to beat her into the ground. Salem picked her up and punched her with a Power fueled lighting punch. Ruby stood up and fired with one repulser. She was running out of nanites, her leg deconstructed and became an arm. Now she fired two repulsers. She backhanded Ruby, obliterating her helmet and hands. The left half of her armor deconstructed to repair the right and form a blade. She tried to stab, but Salem grabbed her arm, ripped the blade off and stabbed Ruby's exposed flesh.**

"AUNT RUBY!" Rwby and Juniper screamed in horror.

"See?" Salem calmed Tyrion, "I got her back."

" **You have my respect Ruby." Salem sat her down, "When I'm done half of humanity and the faunus will still be alive. I hope they remember you." Power, Space, Reality, and Soul glowed simultaneously as Salem prepared the final blow.**

"No…" Yang, Summer, Taiyang, Weiss, and Blake begged, "Please don't!"

" **STOP!" Glynda dragged herself up, "Spare her life, and I will give you the gem."**

" **No tricks?" Salem asked.**

 **Glynda shook her head and summoned the orange Time Gem that was disguised as a star.**

" **Don't!" Ruby begged.**

 **Salem extended her hand, Glynda used her levitation to send it to her. Salem inserted the Orange gem into her thumb knuckle. Now only the biggest one remained the one on the back of her palm.**

" **One to go." Salem admired her collection.**

 **Cardin screamed as he fired both of hie guns and flew toward her. Using the Space Gem, Salem vanished, and Cardin flew right through her.**

" **Where is she?!" Cardin dragged himself up, "Did we just lose?"**

" **Why would you do that?" Ruby patched up her wound and looked over at Glynda.**

" **We're in the endgame now." Glynda sighed.**

"This is part of the future I saw." Glynda nodded, "It has to be, otherwise why would I go back on my oath to protect the Time Gem?"

"Your heart grew three sizes after spending time with me and Yang?" Ruby asked.

"Yang and I." Weiss corrected.

"Seriously?" Ruby pouted.

"Sorry." Weiss shrunk in her chair.

"I don't think so." Glynda shook her head.

 **Sun crushed the skull of an alien and rallied his simian tribesmen. While Raven chased one back into the pyramid and destroyed it. She flew into the air and began destroying them all. Blake landed next to Ren.**

" **Are you okay?" She asked, Ren began screaming, "What? What is it?"**

 **Ren frantically looked around, "She's here."**

"Oh no..."Juniper whimpered.

"So close…" Salem grew anxious.

 **Jaune looked up and heard the wind howling, "Everyone on my position. We have incoming."**

" **What the hell?" Emerald looked up.**

 **Ilia and Kali felt a shive run up their spines. Oscar turned around and saw a portal opening, and out stepped the Dark Witch stepped through.**

" **Cap." Oscar whispered, "That's her."**

"No shit Sherlock." Ruby threw her arms up.

" **Eyes up stay sharp." Jaune charged.**

 **Oscar went first, Salem used Space to have him phase through her and fuse him to a rock. With Power she blew Jaune out of the way. Ilia jumped up, Salem simply grabbed her and punched her into the ground. Nora came flying in, with Power once again Salem broke Nora's wings.**

" **Blake." Ren whispered, "It's time."**

" **No." Blake shook her head.**

" **They can't stop him, Blake, but we can." Ren made her listen, "Look at me. You have the power to destroy the gem."**

" **Don't." Blake looked back at Salem.**

" **You must do it Blake, please." Ren begged, "We are out of time."**

 **Blake shook her head, "I can't.**

" **Yes, you can." Ren aligned her hand with the gem, "You can. If she gets the gem half the universe dies. It's not fair. It shouldn't be you, but it is. It's all right. You could never hurt me. I just feel you."**

 **Blake began the process to destroy the gem. Weiss was firing every weapon her suit could at Salem. She used space to crush her inside her own suit then tossed her aside. Pyrrha fired at her, while Emerald and Kali charged in. With Power Salem knocked Pyrrha and Kali away. With Reality she trapped Emerald under slabs of stone. Groot fed his arms into the ground and tried to entrap her. Salem broke free and continued toward Blake and Ren. Jaune slid between her legs and attacked with everything he had. Salem brought down the Infinity Gauntlet and Jaune needed all of his strength to hold the gauntlet back. With her free hand she punched him into the ground. Blake had one hand destroying the gem and the other holding off Salem.**

" **It's all right." Ren whispered, "It's all right. I love you."**

 **With that the gem and Ren exploded.**

 **Salem looked down at Blake, "I understand my child. Better than anyone."**

" **You could never." Blake glared.**

" **Today I lost more than you could know." Salem rubbed her head, "But now is no time to mourn. Now is no time at all." Orange glyphs covered the Infinity Gauntlet as Salem began to rewind time, the explosion reversed itself and Ren was kneeling before her.**

" **NO!" Blake stood, but Salem backhanded her away.**

 **Salem picked up Ren by his throat and ripped the Mind Gem out of his head. His body lost all color and Salem tossed his aside.**

 **Salem screamed as the power flowed through her body. Before she could do anything else, a bolt of lightning sent her back. Salem fired with all six gems, Raven threw Stormbreaker, and it ripped through the beams and entered her chest.**

"YES! YES! KILL THE BITCH!" Rwby screamed at the top of her lungs.

"DAMNIT!" Salem screamed.

" **I told you…" Raven grabbed the end of Stormbreaker and forced it further into her chest, "You'd die for that."**

 **Salem screamed before weakly whispering, "You should…you should…you should've gone for the head."**

"What?" Everyone in the audience said.

" **NO!" Raven screamed as Salem snapped her fingers.**

"Oh no…" Ozpin stood up.

 **Salem was in a green room. She looked around and the Infinity Gauntlet was gone then she saw a baby Velvet.**

" **Daughter?" Salem asked.**

" **Did you do it?" Velvet asked.**

" **Yes." Salem nodded.**

" **What did it cost?" Velvet asked.**

" **Everything." Salem said.**

 **Raven and Salem looked at the burnt gauntlet.**

" **What did you do?" Raven gasped, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"**

 **Salem disappeared leaving Stormbreaker behind.**

" **Where'd she go?" Jaune asked, "Raven. Where'd she go?"**

" **Jaune?" Pyrrha asked. Jaune turned around to watch her turn to dust. He ran to the pile and knelt next to it.**

"NO MOM!" Rwby and Juniper yelled at the sight of their mother dying. Pyrrha quickly grabbed her daughters.

 **On the battlefield Sun watched in horror as his tribesmen, the Border Tribe, the Kingsguard, and the Dora Milaje all began disappearing.**

" **Up general." Ilia commanded, "Up! This is no place to die."**

 **Kali grabbed her arm, but Ilia turned to dust.**

"All those faunus…" Adam gasped.

"This is unreal…" Ghira shook his head.

"It's up to Sun and Kali now…" Ilia collapsed after seeing herself turn to dust.

"I don't know if I can…" Sun gasped.

"I know you can." Neptune reassured him.

" **I am Groot." Groot said weakly as he slowly turned to dust.**

" **Oh…" Zwei stepped forward, "No, no, no! Groot! No…"**

 **Blake cradled Ren's corpse before turning into dust. Nora tried to stand but turned to dust.**

" **Nora!" Weiss called out, "Nora, where are you?!"**

Ren's grip tightened significantly around Nora's hand.

 **A storm was brewing on Titan. Yang helped Ruby to her feet.**

" **Something's happening." Coco looked all around. Before becoming dust in the wind.**

" **Cardin?" Russel asked as he turned to dust.**

" **Steady Cardin." Ruby said.**

" **Oh man…" Cardin turned to dust.**

" **Ruby." Glynda spoke up, "There was no other way." She shook her head as she turned to dust.**

"I knew it." Glynda sighed.

" **R-Ruby." Yang weakly said, "I-I don't feel so good."**

"Not Yang too!" Ruby began to sob.

"Yang's going to be alright." Taiyang shook his head, "My Sunny Little Dragon will be just fine!"

Summer remained deathly silent; she knew what was coming next.

" **You're all right." Ruby shook her head with tears in her eyes.**

" **I don't…" Yang stumbled forward, "I don't know what's happening. I don't know…" she embraced her baby sister, "I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go Ruby. Please." She begged as she squeezed her sister. "Please. I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go." Her body turned to dust. "I love you." She whispered before her body blew away.**

 **Ruby fell through the dust and onto the ground.**

" **She did it." Penny gasped.**

 **Ruby lay on the ground frozen.**

 **Jaune flipped Ren over.**

" **What is this?" Weiss asked, "What the hell is happening?!"**

" **Gods be praised…" Jaune gasped.**

 **Salem stepped out of her tent watching the sun rise, and she smiled.**

"What the fuck?" Yang gasped, "WarThunder what the fuck was that?"

"I'm sorry." The WarThunder family turned to dust.

"Guys." Ruby looked at her hand and saw cracks beginning to form, "GUYS!" Soon enough cracks covered her entire body. "MOMMY!"

"No." Yang and Summer launched themselves at Ruby, but they were too late, Ruby had turned to dust.

"Here too?" Winter stood up.

"Winter?" Weiss turned around but was reduced to dust before Winter could say anything.

"What's happening?" Cardin shot up as Dove and Sky turned to dust.

"Balance…" Glynda whispered, "If they died in the movie they stay here. But if they lived then…"

There was a scream from a voice nobody recognized, they all turned to see Neo clutching Roman's hat. Kali looked at her hands and quickly kissed Ghira before turning to dust. Sun tried to grab Blake's shoulder, but he turned to dust before he could. Ozpin's cane echoed as it fell with no one to hold it. Qrow watched as Raven turned to dust.

"Damn." Salem looked at her own hands, "I really wanted to see how this ends."

"What?!" Cinder and Emerald looked at each other.

"Cinder!" Emerald tried to move but was reduced to dust.

"Fuck me." Cinder's body collapsed.

"REN!" Nora held onto him.

"Boop." Ren poked her nose before disappearing.

"No…" Summer ran her fingers through the dust that was once her daughter, "No, no, no, no, No, NO, NO!"

"This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening!" Juniper repeated before looking down at her hands.

"It's... It's going to be ok sis. W-we'll figure out wh-" Rwby was cutoff when she tried to pat Juniper on the shoulder, only for her hand to go through it as her sister turned to dust. It took several seconds for her to contemplate what just happened as she fell to her knees and cried. Pyrrha quickly wrapped her arms around Rwby as they cried together at the loss of Juniper. Finally, after a long while of silence, Summer finally broke it with the one question on everyone's mind.

"What the hell just happened...?"

The screen flickered back to life

" **Still no word from Ruby?" Junior asked.**

" **Not yet." Melanie said, "We're watching every satellite on both hemispheres but still nothing."**

" **What is it?" Junior asked when he heard the beeping.**

" **Multiple bogeys over Menagerie." Melanie reported.**

" **Same energy signature as Vale?" Junior asked.**

" **Ten times bigger." Melanie said.**

" **Tell Kline we'll meet him…" Junior began.**

" **JUNIOR!" Melanie screamed and he slammed on the breaks. As a car veered off course and into a parked car.**

" **They okay?" Junior asked as Melanie checked the car.**

" **There's no one here?" Melanie tilted her head.**

 **Junior looked up and saw a helicopter crash into a building, "Call control. Code Red."**

" **Junior." Melanie turned to dust.**

" **Melanie?" Junior gasped. Junior ran back to the car a pulled out an old pager. As soon as he turned it on, his hand turned to dust, "Oh no…motherfucker." He dropped the pager. The pager itself had a red and blue logo with a star in the middle.**

 _ **One week later**_

 **The pager was still beeping in the Inner Circle HQ, then it stopped.**

" **This is a nightmare." Jaune watched the global death count rise.**

" **I've had better nightmares." Emerald shook her head.**

" **Hey." Weiss stepped in, "So that thing just stopped doing whatever the hell it was doing."**

" **What do we got?" Emerald asked.**

" **Whatever signal it was sending finally crapped out." Oscar explained.**

" **I thought we bypassed the battery?" Jaune asked.**

" **We did." Weiss confirmed, "It's still plugged in. It just stopped."**

" **Reboot it." Jaune ordered, "Send the signal again."**

" **We don't even know what this is." Oscar complained.**

" **Junior did." That was all Emerald needed, "Just do it please. Tell me the second you get a signal. I wanna know who's on the other end of that thing."**

 **Emerald turned around and was met by a woman with dirty blonde hair and sapphire eyes. Her suit was red and blue with a star in the middle of her chest.**

" **Where's Junior?" Saphron asked.**

 _*one hour later*_

Everyone who was left was distort over the deaths of everyone else. It was all quiet except for the quiet sobs of Rwby, who was still suffering after watching her sister turn to dust. Pyrrha held Rwby close as tears rolled down her own cheeks. No one had any idea on what to do next. Finally, Qrow stood up as he planned to look around for some alcohol to drown his sorrows.

"Where are you going Qrow...?" Winter quietly asked.

"...I'm going to go find something to drink..." He then turned around to walk away but instantly stopped when he saw that his path was blocked by someone no one has seen before.

He wore a white hooded fur cloak, his armor didn't have a left sleeve so the red tribal tattoos were being shown off, his right sleeve was covered in gold armor, he was wearing black pants with golden boots, red armor chest plate with a gold stripe going down the middle, black leather fingerless gloves, and strapped to his waist was a familiar sword: Crocea Mors.

"Jaune?!" Pyrrha yelled in surprise. Quicker than anyone could react, Rwby shot forward and wrapped her arms around his waist and cried as hard as she physically could, she didn't even care that she knew just by his clothes alone it wasn't the Jaune from her world. Jaune gently patted her on the head as he took off his hood, showing off his short blond hair and a large scar going over his left eye. And when he looked at them all, they saw his sclera were black and his irises were a dark blue.

 **"Not exactly."** He said in a deep voice. **"Now, anyone want to tell me what the fuck happened here?"**


	32. MotherLover (Omake)

**Yang and Blake were stepping out of jail, they threw two boxes in the trash when Yang's alarm on her watch went off.**

 _ **Yang: Oh dang  
Blake: What is it dawg?  
I forgot it's Mothers Day  
Didn't get a gift for her?  
Other plans got in the way, she'll be so disappointed  
Damn I forgot it too  
This could have been avoided  
What the hell are we gonna do?**_

 **The two were now in the gym working out. Kali was sitting in bed rubbing the sheets. While Raven was sitting in the kitchen her head resting in her hand and her elbow on the table.**

 _ **My moms been so forlorn ever since my daddy left. (Cold)  
No one to hold her tight, life has put her to the test  
I know just what you mean, my moms been so sad and gray. (Word)  
My dad can't satisfy her in the bedroom ever since he passed away  
Hold up!**_

 **They were sitting on a bench eating sandwiches.**

 _ **You thinkin what I'm thinkin?  
I'm thinkin I'm thinkin too  
Slow up!  
What time is it dawg?  
It's time for a switcharoo  
We both love our moms, women with grown women needs.  
I say we break em off  
Show em how much they really mean  
'Cause I'm a motherlover, you're a motherlover  
We should fuck each others mothers, fuck each others moms  
I'll push in that lady, where you came out as a baby**_

 _ **Aint no doubt that shit is crazy  
Fuckin' each others moms  
'Cause every Mothers Day needs a Mothers Night  
If doing it is wrong, I don't wanna be right  
I'm callin on you cause I can't do it myself  
To me you're like a sister, so be my mother lover**_

 _ **I'll be layin in the cut waitin' for your mom clutchin' on this lube and roses**_

 **Yang stood at the end of the bed with a bundle of roses in one hand and a tiny bottle in the other.**

 _ **I got my digital camera, I'm gonna make your momma do a million poses**_

 **Blake had Raven on the counter with a camera in her hand. Raven quickly snapped off the lens cap.**

 _ **They will be so surprised**_

 _ **We are so cool and thoughtful  
Can't wait to poke your mom**_

 _ **I'm gonna be the syrup, she can be my waffle, sho nuff!  
My mother loves bubble bath with chamomile, straight up!  
Give it to my mom d - d- d - d- d - d - doggystyle  
This the perfect plan, for a perfect Mother's Day  
They'll have to rename this one, all up under the covers day**_

 **Yang stepped into the kitchen to grab something and she smiled at Raven wrapped her arms and legs around Blake. Kali and Raven were lying on beach chairs with Yang and Blake standing behind them.**

 _ **'Cause I'm a Mother Lover, you're a Mother Lover  
We should fuck each others mothers, fuck each others moms  
I'm pushin that lady where you came out as a baby  
Aint no doubt that shit is crazy  
Fuckin' each others moms  
Break it down**_

 **Yang and Blake were standing forehead to forehead.**

 _ **It would be my honor to be your new step-mother  
It would be my honor to be your new step-mother  
And while you're in my mother, make me another brother. (Yeah!)  
And while I'm in your mother, I'll never use a rubber! (Oh!)**_

 _ **'Cause every Mothers Day needs a Mothers Night  
If doing it is wrong, I don't wanna be right  
I'm callin on you 'cause I can't do it myself  
To me you're like a sister, so be my mother lover**_

 **Kali wagged her finger and laid a picture of Blake down. Yang wagged her finger and put the picture back up.**

 _ **They blessed us both with the gift of life  
She brought you in this world so I'ma sex her right  
This is the second best idea that we've ever had  
The choice can be no other  
Be my mother lover  
Happy Mother's Day!**_

"You've had some crazy ideas but this has to take the cake." Taiyang was pinching the bridge of his nose at the forming migraine.

Yang could feel Blake's eyes boring into her without even looking. She took one glance at Kali and Blake pounced in a cloud of punches and hisses.

"It was considerate." Kali tried to look at the silver lining of the situation, "I don't remember getting anything last year."

Blake froze with pink on her cheeks.

"I never get anything." Raven grumbled.

Yang rolled her eyes at that.

"Are you two seriously okay with this?" Summer asked.

"I've always wondered if what they say about cat's tongues is true." Raven smirked.

"I think I'm gonna barf." Yang gagged.

"That is one of the more interesting gifts one can give." Salem pondered, "We do have needs after all."

"Wait." Ruby stood up, "Mom, Raven, Kali, and Salem. Are there seriously only four moms here?"

Everyone looked around.

"Huh…" Weiss looked around, "You'd think there'd be more than four mothers here given how many people are here."

"What about us?" Cinder asked, "We had children in the other realities."

"Yeah but I'm talking about here in the theater." Ruby gestured, "I mean, four…"

"My mom's in Argus." Pyrrha pointed out.

"Five." Ruby raised her hand, "This isn't Disney we're allowed to have mothers you know!"

"Ruby are you okay?" Yang asked.

"Feh!" Ruby sat back down, "Happy Mother's Day."


	33. For Robbin (Omake II)

The entire Junior class was assembled. Standing along the walls were the teachers, Jaune Arc included. Headmaster Ozpin enters and stands behind a podium.  
"Students." Ozpin began, "The death of Weiss Schnee is a tragedy. She was a fine, student one of Beacon's best and she will be missed. We have contacted each of your parents and explained the situation. Naturally, all are quite concerned. At the request of Weiss' family, I intend to conduct a thorough inquiry into this matter. Your complete cooperation is expected."

* * *

Cardin, Ruby, Saphron, Blake, and Yang met up in Mr. Arc's classroom. Mr. Arc was standing solemnly at his desk. Behind him on the chalk board was a quote.  
"On the Day of Judgement, Man will judge God."  
"Life is not fair that we should lose one so young and talented." Mr. Arc began. "I fully expected to be the first full fledged member of the Dead Poets Society. It is with great sadness that instead we must induct Weiss Schnee. Do not go gentle into that good night, Weiss Schnee. Rage, rage against the dying of the light."  
There was a long silence as Jaune stood motionless before suddenly screaming: "RAGE!"

* * *

In the storage room Cardin, Ruby, Saphron, Blake, and Yang were waiting. Cardin slipped a cigarette in his mouth and used his zippo to light it. "You told him about this meeting?"  
"Twice." Blake nodded.  
Cardin turns to the window and looks out across the lawn. In  
the distance is the administration building. "That's it guys, we're all fried."  
"You don't know that." Yang shook her head, "Maybe he…"  
"Mercury's a-fink!" Cardin snapped, "Why else wasn't he at the last meetings? He's in Ozpin's office, right now, finking!  
"About what?" Yang asked.  
"About the club Yang, think about it." Cardin scoffed, "The board of directors, the trustees, and Headmaster Ozpin. Do you think for one moment they're just going to let this thing blow over? Schools go down for things like this. They need a scapegoat."  
The door opened and the group hurried to air the out the room and hide their ashes. They waited in suspense as the footsteps grew louder then they saw Mercury.  
"You finked, didn't you Mercury?" Cardin asked.  
"Finked? I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Mercury lied.  
"You told Ozpin everything about the club is what I mean." Cardin clarified.  
"In case you hadn't heard, Cardin, there's something called an Honor Code at this school." Mercury tried to justify, "If a teacher asks you something, you tell the truth or you're expelled."  
Cardin tried to rush Mercury but the others restrained him, "He's a rat! He's in up to his eyes so he ratted to save himself!"  
"Don't touch him, Cardin." Blake warned, "You do and you're out!"  
"I'm out anyway!" Cardin thrashed.  
"You don't know that!" Blake protested, "Not yet!"  
"He's right there, Cardin." Mercury voiced, "And if you're smart, every one of you will do exactly what I did and cooperate. They're not after us. We're the victims. Us and Weiss."  
"What does that mean? Who are they after?" Cardin asked.  
"Why Mr. Arc, of course." Mercury explained, "The "Captain" himself. You didn't really think he could avoid responsibility, did you?"  
"Mr. Arc is responsible for Weiss?" Cardin couldn't believe it, "Is that what they're saying?!"  
"Who else do you think, you dumbass?" Mercury yelled, "The administration? Dr. Oobleck? Arc put us up to all this crap, didn't he? If it wasn't for him Weiss would be cozied up in her room right now, studying her chemistry and dreaming of being called: "doctor."  
"That's not true!" Ruby objected, "Mr. Arc didn't tell Weiss what to do. Weiss loved acting!"  
"Believe what you want, but I say let Arc fry." Mercury raised his voice, "Why ruin our lives?"  
"You fucking asshole!" Cardin bolts across the room and strikes Mercury across the face. Mercury falls into the wall of suitcases behind him.  
"Cardin!" Blake yelled.  
Mercury wiped the blood from his nose, "You just signed your expulsion papers, "Nuwanda". If the rest of you were smart, you'd do exactly as I did. They know everything anyway. You can't save Arc, but you can save yourselves."  
Mercury left without another word.

* * *

Weiss' bed is stripped and her desk was empty. Ruby sat at the window, looking across the campus at the administration building. Momentarily Blake is escorted out by Dr. Goodwitch. She escorts Blake across campus, back to the dorm.  
Ruby peers out of the door of her room. Blake and Goodwitch enter the hallway. Goodwitch stops at the end of the hall. Blake walks silently back to her room. As she passes Ruby, she doesn't look at her. But tears were streaming down Blake's face. Blake enters her room and shuts the door.  
"Saphron." Goodwitch called out.  
Saphron comes out of her room and joins Goodwitch at the end of the  
hall. She give Ruby a thumbs up as she passes her. The pair exit together. Momentarily, Ruby walks across the hall to Blake's room.  
"Blake?" Ruby knocked, "It's Ruby."  
"Go away, I have to study." Blake didn't open the door.  
Ruby pauses, realizing what has happened. "What happened to Nuwanda?"  
"Expelled." Blake said.  
Ruby was stunned, "What did you tell them?"  
"Nothing they didn't already know." Blake finished.  
"Ruby." Goodwitch was standing at the end of the hall.

* * *

Headmaster Ozpin was sitting at his desk. Ruby was stunned when she saw her mother and father sitting across from Headmaster Ozpin.  
"Have a seat, Miss. Rose." Ozpin pointed at an empty chair.  
Ruby takes the empty chair next to her mother.  
"Miss. Rose, I think we've pretty well put together what's happened here." Ozpin began, "You do admit to being a part of this Dead Poets Society?"  
Ruby nods.  
"Answer him Ruby." Taiyang said.  
"Yes sir." Ruby answered.  
"I have here a detailed description of what went on at your meetings." Ozpin grabbed his glasses, "It describes how your teacher, Mr. Arc, encouraged you boys to organize the club and to use it as a source of inspiration for reckless, self indulgent behavior. It describes how Mr. Arc, both in and out of the classroom, encouraged Weiss Schnee to follow this obsession of acting when Mr. Arc knew it went directly against the explicit orders of Weiss' family. It is Mr. Arc's blatant abuse of his position as a teacher that led directly to Weiss Schnee's death."  
Ozpin hands the paper to Ruby. "Read this document carefully, Ruby. If you have nothing to add or amend, then sign it."  
Ruby takes this paper and reads it. She spends a long time  
doing so and by the time she finishes her hands and the paper  
are shaking. Todd looks up.  
"What... what is going to happen...to Mr. Arc?" Ruby asked.  
"What does that have to do with you?" Summer asked.  
"That's all right." Ozpin told Summer, "I want her to know." He turned to Ruby. "We are not yet clear as to whether Mr. Arc has broken any laws. If he has he will be prosecuted. What we can do - and yours and the others' signatures will help to guarantee it - is see to it that Mr. Arc will never teach again."  
Ruby couldn't stop the tears, "Never... teach..."  
"I've had enough, sign the paper Ruby." Taiyang stood over Ruby.  
"But... teaching is all he has... It means everything to him." Ruby cried.  
"What do you care?" Summer asked.  
"What do you care about me?" Ruby snapped at her mother, "He cares about me. You don't."  
"Sign the paper, Ruby." Taiyang handed her the pen.  
"I won't sign it." Ruby shook her head.  
"RUBY!" Taiyang yelled.  
"It's not true!" Ruby objected, "I won't sign it!"  
Taiyang grabs the pen and tries to put it in Ruby's hand. Ozpin stands.  
"That's all right!" Ozpin yelled, "We don't need her signature. Let her suffer the consequences." Ozpin walks around his desk to Ruby. "You think you can save Mr. Arc? You saw it, girl, we have the signatures of all the others. But, if you don't sign, you're on disciplinary probation for the rest of the year. You'll do work duty every afternoon and every Saturday. And, if you set foot off campus, you'll be expelled."  
Ruby's parents and Headmaster Ozpin watch her, waiting for her to  
change her mind.  
"I won't sign." Ruby shook her head.  
"Then I will see you back here after classes." Ozpin sat back down, "You may go." Once she left Ozpin looked back at her parents, "Don't worry. We'll bring him around."

* * *

The classroom was graveyard silent. None could bring themselves to look at one another. Much less Cardin and Weiss' empty desks. The door opens and in strides Headmaster Ozpin. The students stand, when he sits at Mr. Arc's desk, they sit.  
"I will be taking over this class through exams." Ozpin explained, "We will find a permanent English teacher during the Christmas holidays. Who would like to tell me where you are in the Prichard textbook?"  
Ozpin looks around. There are no volunteers. "Miss. Rose?"  
"The... Prichard..." Ruby looks through her books and fumbles nervously.  
"I can't hear you, Miss. Rose." Ozpin raised his voice.  
"I... think we..." Ruby's voice was still low.  
Ozpin was tired of waiting for Ruby to speak, "Mr. Black, kindly inform me."  
"We skipped around a lot, sir." Mercury explained, "We covered the romantics and most of the chapters on post civil war literature."  
"What about the realists?" Ozpin asked.  
"I believe we skipped most of that." Mercury nodded.  
Ozpin flips through the text. The door to the classroom opens and Mr. Arc enters.  
"I came for my personals." Mr. Arc rubbed his hands together, "Should I wait until after class?"  
"Absolutely not." Ozpin dismissed, "Get your things and get out. Gentlemen, turn to page twenty-one of the introduction. Mr. Black read aloud the excellent essay by Dr. Pritchard on "Understanding Poetry."  
"That page had been ripped out sir." Mercury sighed.  
"Well borrow somebody else's book." Ozpin shrugged.  
"They're all ripped out sir." Mercury tapped his desk with his pencil.  
"What do you mean they're all ripped out?" Ozpin couldn't see Jaune smiling in his office. "Never mind." Ozpin slammed his book on Mercury's desk, "Read."  
"Understanding Poetry by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard PhD." Mercury read the introduction. Much to Jaune's dismay. "To understand poetry we must first be fluent with its meter, rhyme, and figures of speech. Then ask two questions: One, how artfully has the poem been rendered and two…" Mercury trailed off when he saw Mr. Arc. Before he could continue, Ruby shot up to stop Mr. Arc from leaving.  
"Mr. Arc!" Ruby cried, "They made everybody sign it."  
"Quiet Miss. Rose!" Ozpin yelled.  
"You got to believe me." Ruby cried.  
"I do believe you Ruby." Jaune tried to go to her.  
"Leave Mr. Arc!" Ozpin demanded.  
"But it wasn't his fault!" Ruby turned to Ozpin.  
"Sit down Miss. Rose!" Ozpin roared, "One more outburst from you or anyone else and you're out of this school! Leave Mr. Arc." Jaune kept his eyes on Ruby, "I said leave Mr. Arc."  
Ozpin smugly smirked as Jaune turned to leave. Ruby could only do one thing.  
"O Captain! My Captain!" Ruby stood on her desk.  
"Sit down Miss. Rose." Ozpin looked at her, "Do you hear me? Sit down!"  
Jaune stopped in the doorway and turned around with a smile.  
"This is your final warning Miss. Rose! How dare you!"  
Saphron looked at Jaune, then at Ruby. She thought back to Mr. Arc's lessons. If not for him, she never would've had the courage to sneak off campus to see Terra.  
"O Captain! My Captain!" Saphron stood on her desk.  
Yang clenched her fists, she loved Mr. Arc. Not just for his spirit nor his laze-fare attitude, but for showing compassion for her sister and bringing her out of her shell.  
"O Captain! My Captain!" Yang jumped onto her desk.  
Blake looked at Yang and stood on hers. She first saw this as an easy class. Books and poetry were her lifeblood, she thought Mr. Arc's lessons were unnecessary at first…then she found something she never would've expected to find. Friends.  
Soon enough the other members of the Dead Poets Society began to stand on their desks ignoring Ozpin's constant complaining. Jaune looked over his class smiling brighter than ever before and they smiled back.  
"Thank you all." Jaune began to tear up, "Thank you."

* * *

Thank you Robbin. You made us laugh, you made us cry, you made us feel like we could fly.  
You touched our souls.  
Happy Birthday to the man, the myth, the legend, Robbin Williams.


End file.
